Broken Alliances
by HilaryHilary
Summary: The affair of Nathan Scott and Haley James was supposed to be entirely stringfree. Because emotional attachment wasn't what Haley was looking for, really it wasn't. At least, not in married man. COMPLETE
1. Secretary

Broken Alliances

Chapter One: Secretary

Haley James looked around the office, bored out of her mind with the proceedings. She'd never wanted to be a secretary to a wealthy sports agent. It involved long hours, lots of errands. A fairly thankless task. At least the pay was good.

As she always did, she sat up straighter and tried her best to look alert as a buzzer sounded and her bosses voice came through the intercom on her desk. With his voice, even when he wasn't in the room, she felt as though he was, his blue eyes on her, watching her fiddle with a pen on her desk and halfheartedly respond to his emails.

"Miss James, could you in here for a moment?" came the brisk, emotionless voice. She pressed a button.

"I'll be right in, Mr. Scott," she responded, smirking slightly to herself.

Haley forced herself to remember that underneath it all, she was lucky. Most twenty-four year olds didn't have a job as good as hers. Most of her friends were older than her, and did have good jobs, or were younger, just out of school, and still trying to find a place for themselves in the bustling metropolis of Manhattan.

"Mr. Scott, does this concern the fundraiser fax that came in this morning?" she asked pleasantly, nodding at him.

"Yes, as it happens. Miss James, could you close the door behind you?" he asked, barely looking up from his expensive oak desk. She compiled.

It was a good thing (though perhaps not based entirely on luck) that the office of Nathan Scott had a wall of wood, and not of glass. Because if the wall had in fact been made of glass, the entire office would have seen the wealthy, married businessman meet in the centre of the office with his young attractive secretary and begin making out with her, his hands sliding down to her thighs.

With a long sweeping motion he cleared his desk of the debris that cluttered it and easily lifted the petite young woman onto it. Pausing only to pull a condom from his pocket, which he handed to Haley, they began to strip each other of their heavy office clothes and make their way easily around their bodies.

Haley took a deep breath as he plunged inside of her, trying her best to hide her true emotions as she always did with him.

"How has your day been, Miss James?" asked Nathan distractedly as he slid into his expensive Armani jacket. She looked up in surprise from buttoning her shirt.

"Quite well, Mr. Scott, and yours?" she said courteously, sliding back into her reserved secretary self.

"Fine. Good, I guess. My parents are over for dinner," he said.

"And that..?" Haley cringed as she realized again how little she knew about the man that was her lover.

"Sucks. But my brother will be there, to share the burden. You know Lucas, right?" he asked, looking up at her and smirking as he caught sight of the black lace of her slip, seeping out from her reserved gray skirt.

"Yeah," she said, not bothering to elaborate. In a relationship such as theirs, Nathan never bothered to remember that Lucas Scott, though much older, was one of Haley's best friends. That he was almost the sole reason she'd managed to land the sought after post at his brother's company.

"What are you doing tonight?" he asked.

"Just hanging out with my roommates. Peyton and Taylor. And I have a date tonight at eight," she explained. He paused in tying his right shoe.

"A date?" he asked, his face blank, his voice once again emotionless.

"Come on, you're married and I don't get blind dates?" she teased. His face relaxed into a smile.

"No, that's not what I meant. I want you to have fun," he said.

"I'm going to have fun, with or without your permission Mr. Scott," she teased, purposefully leaving her top button undone so the lace on her bustier peeked out. His eyes fastened to it as he nodded distractedly.

"Sure about that?" he asked.

"Entirely," she said, her voice low. He took a cautious step toward her and she lunged on him, and they fell to the ground, kissing with feverish passion.

After they were finally finished, Haley hurried out of her bosses office. Under normal circumstances, she would be fired. She'd graduated near the top of her class, yet she rarely put in a hard day's work. The fact that she'd so easily succumbed to Mr. Scott's seduction didn't put much more in her favour. Haley wondered how the entire office didn't get suspicious when she came out slightly disheveled after taking much more than the allotted time to take down a note. But maybe they did suspect-maybe it was a more common occurrence than she thought, with women that weren't Haley James.


	2. What You Thought You Wanted

Chapter Two: What You Thought You Wanted

That night at six thirty, Haley opened the door of her apartment and walked in, bracing herself for the squeals and laughter that usually occupied it.

"Tay? Peyton?" she called out to her roommates; her big sister and her best friend.

"Hey Haley. What did you do today?" asked Taylor, wandering out of her room, her blonde hair unkempt. Obviously nursing a hangover.

"Um…" she began, quickly filing through her mind for a plausible itinerary.

"No, wait, let me guess: you had sex with your mystery man?" said Taylor innocently. Haley rolled her eyes.

"Give it up, that sounds more like you. Where does this mystery man theory come from, anyway?" demanded Haley, dropping her bag and flopping onto the couch.

"Has she finally admitted to it?" asked Peyton Sawyer, returning home from her job at the art gallery, eager to catch up on the gossip that went between the three of them.

"No, still in serious denial. Is he a rich?" asked Taylor, sitting cross-legged beside her little sister.

"Is he hot?" asked Peyton, sitting on the other side of her. Haley picked up a pillow and pretended to suffocate herself.

"For the last time, no! It's impossible for him to be either rich or hot, seeing as he DOESN'T EXIST!" she said.

"Maybe it's that Jack guy. Nice ass," said Taylor, over Haley's head, to Peyton.

"Jake? No, I was thinking that Ben guy. Strong silent thing going on," said Peyton.

"Jake is involved and Ben is married. And remember my whole no sex before marriage thing?" asked Haley.

"Jake's involved?" asked Peyton carefully.

"Sweetie, at one point we all resolved to do that," said Taylor.

"Yeah, well, some people's resolve didn't fall through at fourteen," shot back Haley.

"Tay, I think you just got told," informed Peyton.

"By my baby sister! I'm going clubbing tonight, you coming?" asked Taylor, looking between her two roommates. Peyton slung an affectionate arm around Haley's shoulders.

"Nope, Hales has a date," she said.

"Ooh, with who? Hot Derek or rich Patrick?" asked Taylor eagerly.

"Hot Derek. What are you going to wear?" asked Peyton.

"Whatever. You've set me up on a thousand dates and it's never worked before," complained Haley.

"Seeing as you're madly in love with your myster…" began Taylor.

"If you dare…" said Haley warningly.

"Fine. Oh, wear my little black dress. Chanel, fifty percent off," bragged Taylor.

"Fine. By the way, Mom and Dad are coming to visit," said Haley.

"Gag me. I think I'm going to coincidently end up in Miami," said Taylor.

"If you dare! Last time you didn't show, I had an hour long grilling session about how I had sold out in my career, and did I have a nice young man friend?" said Haley bitterly. Taylor patted her little sister's cheek.

"And you know what, I think you're a better person for it," she said. Haley slapped her sister's hand away and grinned in spite of herself.

* * *

In a different apartment, on a different side of the city, at a later hour, a businessman returned home to his wife.

"Hey," said a voice, coming out of the dark. Nathan Scott jumped slightly as he saw his wife sitting stiffly on their living room of their upper class apartment.

"Hey, you're still up," he said, going over to her to sloppily kiss the top of her head.

"Yeah," she said softly. She inhaled to smell the familiar perfume that wasn't her own.

"So, what did you do today?" he asked, heading for the kitchen. _Who did you do today?_ She silently asked.

"Went shopping," she said briefly. She followed him into the kitchen and wished desperately he'd notice the low cut slip she was wearing.

"Get anything nice?"

"An evening gown. Vera Wang, for the gala thingy," she said.

"What's it like? And it's the Black and White Ball" he asked, popping up from the fridge and pouring himself a glass of water.

"Halter neck, tulle, floor length. Black. You really care?" she asked.

"What?" he asked. Instantly, the wounded puppy dog look on his face made her feel remorseful.

"Nothing. You tired? You look exhausted," she said pityingly.

"Yeah. Night Brooke," he said.

She sighed. When they'd married, Brooke Davis and Nathan Scott had been madly in love. Fairy tale type love. They'd practically guaranteed a fairy tale life. And here they were, ten years later, speaking like strangers. Not even touching anymore.

Growing up, a life like this was all Brooke had wanted. An expensive apartment with a doorman, designer dresses for outings in limousines, handsome, rich husbands. Brooke had never thought hard enough about it to realize she wanted more than that: love. Their love had become a habit; existing somewhere in the back of their minds, always a guarantee, but no longer a passion. No longer anything like it.

Brooke peered cautiously through the hall to the open door of the bathroom. Nathan was brushing his teeth, shirtless and pantless, only wearing his boxers. She felt a tightening inside of her-Nathan Scott was thirty-six, he hadn't been a pro basketball player for years, but still he had an impressive body. Brooke glanced sideways at herself in a mirror. She was, and always had been beautiful, but the past ten years had made her laugh less spontaneous, her eyes less sparkling. Her dimpled smile didn't flash as often as it once had.

Brooke Scott let her eyes wander to the picture that held the place of prominence in the room. Their wedding photo. Him in his expensive tux, her in her designer dress-the white, low cut one with the filmy skirt. It didn't show in the picture, but his hand had sneaked down to pinch her behind. They were looking in each other's eyes. She remembered the feeling she'd felt when the picture had been taken: love, desire, happiness, passion, an overwhelming sense of peace. As though she'd made the right choice. As though she really knew her mind.

Brooke laughed at her twenty-four year old self. So confident. She'd thought that she could pleasure her husband forever. Never considered that in ten years, he'd be thirty-six, she'd be thirty-four, and everything would be different. Everything.


	3. Face Your Fears

Chapter Three: Face Your Fears

"Are you coming to the ball?" asked Nathan as they slipped back into their office clothing.

"Don't have a date," said Haley shortly.

"I could set you…" began Nathan.

"Oh what, you're going to go up to one of your friends and say 'hey, want to go on a date with my mistress? She's a total babe and she's good in bed? I don't think so," said Haley.

"Okay, I was just offering. Brooke got a new dress, probably cost as much as my salary for a year," he said, sitting back down to his leather chair.

Haley looked down and searched for something to say. Brooke Scott didn't often come into the conversation, but when she did Haley didn't know how to handle it.

"Does she have any idea? About… us?" Haley asked. Nathan looked up in surprise from a sheaf of papers on his desk.

"Maybe. It's been a while now," he said. Haley nodded, secretly calculating. About a year and a half.

"It's been what, eighteen months? Minus a few in the middle?" he asked.

"Yeah, when I went back home for a visit," she said stiffly. Three months. Exactly.

"Lonely time," he said, pulling her onto his lap. They kissed.

"Sure. So she knows that you've been having an affair for a year and a half but she doesn't care particularly?" she pressed.

"Nope."

"Do you love her?" asked Haley. Nathan looked at her in surprise. They didn't talk often, but already they talked more than he did with his wife.

"Kind of," he admitted. "I mean, it's been ten years. I love her, but we're not in love, I guess."

Haley nodded quickly.

"I have to go. Home. Do you mind if I cut out early?" she asked. He nodded distractedly and she left, letting her fingers trail across his lap as she did.

Haley arrived back in her apartment and was relieved to find it empty. No insane, bubbly Taylor, no supportive, eager Peyton. Just Haley.

She reevaluated what Nathan had said about the Black and White Ball. Did it mean that he wanted her there? Did it mean he wanted her there so they could do it in the cloakroom? Did it mean that if he did set her up with a friend, he'd be wildly jealous?

Haley groaned in frustration as the buzzer sounded just as she was about to step in the shower. Turning off the faucet, she wrapped herself in a towel and speeded for the door.

"Hey?" she said experimentally into the speaker by the door.

"Hey, it's Lucas," said a familiar voice. Her face relaxed into a smile as she pressed the button to buzz him up.

"Hey Hales!" he greeted her.

"Hey Luke. What's up?" she asked.

"Do you usually answer the door like that?" he asked jokingly, indicating the towel wrapped briefly around her.

"No, just for you," she said, in an exaggerated sultry voice. He grinned.

"Cool. I'm just on my way to Nathan and Brooke's. Mom and Dad are visiting," he said.

"Yeah, Nathan told me," she said. Lucas raised an eyebrow, and Haley mentally kicked herself.

"You guys are that close?" he asked in interest.

"No, he just had me um… go through his book to find a date he was free," she lied, feeling guilty. After all, Lucas was among her best friends.

"I've been instructed to attend Nate's ball thing," said Lucas, dropping onto the sofa.

"Oh. Me too, as it happens," she said. They met eyes, and Haley quickly found a solution. "Um, maybe we could go together? Be friends, so I don't have to find a real date?"

"Sounds good. I was going to ask you, actually. Where are those lovely blonde things that live around here?" asked Lucas.

"Actually, I have no idea. Peyton is most likely at work. Taylor is doing god knows what-she parties constantly and still manages to make rent and do it in Chanel. So unfair," complained Haley.

"You've got to stop being jealous of Taylor," coaxed Lucas.

"Come on, you know I don't care less about her," said Haley unconvincingly.

"Sure. You shouldn't be, by the way. Okay, now I really have to go," he said.

"Why'd you come here?" asked Haley, walking with him to the door.

"I was on my way, and needed a break from the madness. So I'll swing by tomorrow night, okay?" he said.

"Sounds great. Bye," she said, smiling at him as he left.

"Nathan! Brooke, it's so good to see you," said Karen Scott excitedly, hugging her son before embracing her daughter-in-law.

"Son, Brooke. You're looking lovely as always," said Dan. Nathan frowned, perceptive for once as his father embraced his wife and shook his own hand. The two of them led his parents to their living room.

"How's business?" asked Dan, as soon as they'd sat down and the maid had supplied them with drinks. Karen rolled her eyes, and Brooke flickered a smile.

"Good. We've got a new client. He's supposed to be the next best thing," said Nathan.

"Great. Now where's that little brother of yours?" asked Karen of her eldest son.

"Lucas is on his way over, Mom. How are you guys? How's Tree Hill?" he asked, inquiring about his hometown.

Brooke allowed her mind to wander as the three of them began to talk about the small town in North Carolina. She'd visited twice, and found little to do.

Her head snapped up in relief when Lucas arrived. Nathan winced when his mother sprung up energetically, throwing her arms around her younger, perhaps more beloved, son.

"Hey Mom. Dad. Nathan, how you doing? Hey Brooke," he said, smiling charmingly.

"You grew a beard," commented Karen. The rest of them eyed the scruffiness of his usually smooth face.

"I like it," said Brooke.

"Makes you look older, bro," said Nathan.

"Saw your win against Florida. Your jump shot could use some work," said Dan sternly. Lucas nodded, absorbing all the information he'd just obtained.

"Yeah. Yeah. Do you mind if I get something to eat? I haven't eaten since lunch," he said.

"Why not? What have I taught you, Luke?" asked Karen, her eyes twinkling. Brooke stood abruptly.

"Luke, I'll take you," she said. The two of them walked into the kitchen as Dan and Nathan veered back to shop talk.

"God, I can't stand these evenings. Dan worships Nate, Karen worships you and I get completely ignored," said Brooke bitterly, taking a sip of her martini.

"Come on, that's not true. They like you!" Lucas insisted.

"Sure. I bet you, that as we speak, Dan is talking about some lovely girl, the daughter of a senator. Or a lawyer. Or something," said Brooke. "They always insinuate that I'm not good enough for him."

"Look, I won't deny that Nathan's dated girls with 'better breeding' but not one of them has known what 'insinuate' means. And not one of them he's loved," said Lucas tenderly, comforting his sister-in-law.

"You really think he loves me?" asked Brooke. Lucas' eyes widened, taken aback. He'd always taken their relationship for granted. Like everyone had.

"Yeah," he said, after a pause.

"I think he's having an affair," she said softly. Lucas spat out a mouthful of his drink.

"What? Why?"

"Because he's smelled like the same perfume for a year. Because we haven't done it in six months. Because he's stopped looking at me like a desirable woman. Because he was never so eager to be at his office before," she said. As she began to cry, Lucas gathered her in his arms.

"Shh. I'll get Haley to check it out. I'm sure it's nothing. You guys have been married a while. You just need to… get a fresh perspective. It'll happen. You guys are in for the long haul," said Lucas encouragingly. Brooke laughed in the midst of her tears.

"What about you? What about your 'long haul'? Haley…?" she asked.

"No, we're friends. Best friends. It'll come to me eventually. Right now I'm more worried about you," he said.

"You're sweet. Come on, we should go out there and face our fears," she suggested.

"Yeah. You're right," he said, ushering her back out to the living room.


	4. When You Can't Trust the Truth

Chapter Four: When You Can't Trust the Truth

"Do you want to wear my shoes?" asked Taylor eagerly. Haley rolled her eyes.

"Which ones?" asked Peyton, before Haley could speak.

"Dolce and Gabbana. New. Ish. Come on, they're gorgeous! I can't believe you're taking Lucas Scott," pouted Taylor.

"I can't believe you'd seriously think I'd consider taking you," said Haley.

"Well yeah! What are friends for?" asked Taylor.

"I don't know, I just never figured it was this. Sweetie, you know I love you but I have to prove to everyone at the stupid office that I am capable of finding a man," said Haley.

"Apparently, you're very capable," said Peyton.

"I really wish you guys would just drop it," said Haley, slipping in an earring.

"We would, but you just keeping flaunting the evidence," said Taylor, nodding toward the noticeable hickey on Haley's neck. Instinctively, Haley put her fingers over it, blocking it from view.

"Curling iron burn," she explained quickly.

"Right. You know, we don't care. It's not like you're a virgin, it's fairly obvious," said Peyton.

"Here," said Taylor, reaching into the drawer and handing her the cover up. Haley smiled gently at her big sister, relieved that they'd stopped.

"Speaking of which, what's this that I found in Taylor bedroom?" asked Peyton, reaching behind her to reveal a pair of gray boxers.

"I'm not denying it," said Taylor, grinning as she began to curl her sister's hair.

"It doesn't bother you, people thinking you're a slut?" asked Haley curiously.

"Sweetie, you get used to it," said Taylor, handing Haley a tube of lipstick.

* * *

"You ready to go?" asked Nathan, calling out to his wife.

In a moment, she appeared in the doorway. She relished in the moment when Nathan Scott, her husband of ten years, let his eyes travel up and down her Vera Wang clad body.

"You look great. Now come on, we're late," he said.

"We're not late," said Brooke.

"Yeah we are. Come on, car's waiting," he said.

The two of them sat stiffly at the back of the limo. There had been a time, a very long time ago, in which they wouldn't have been able to get their hands off each other in such a car, in such clothing. That time had passed.

* * *

All three girls were visibly excited when the buzzer rang, and even more excited a moment later when Lucas Scott appeared in his single breasted Armani suit, crisp white shirt, silk tie and intoxicating cologne.

"Haley," he greeted, appreciatively eyeing her (Taylor's) white, one shouldered, curve hugging dress.

"Stop ogling me. Though I know it must be difficult," she said, laughing.

"Terribly. This is for you," he said, handing her a single red rose. She gestured for him to pin it to the front of her dress.

"You look great too," said Taylor.

"Thanks Tay," he said. Peyton smiled at him, always a bit uncertain in the presence of the man she crushed on so deeply.

Lucas offered Haley his arm and they went off into the night.

Haley squealed in excitement as he led her to their own long black limousine.

* * *

Brooke forced herself to hold in the boredom that was bubbling inside of her. The party was full of wealthy, intelligent people. The food was sublime. The decor was tasteful and elegant. She was on the arm of the wealthiest, sexiest man on the room.

And she was born out of her mind.

Brooke and Nathan both smiled when they saw Lucas arrive. The two couples met.

"Good to see you again man," said Nathan, shaking his brother's hand. Lucas nodded at his sister-in-law while Nathan's eyes took in hungrily the sight of Haley in clothing that were so much more revealing than her demure office clothing.

"Brooke, you've met my secretary, Miss James?" asked Nathan.

"Yes, we've met. Mrs. Scott, please call me Haley," said Haley, shaking her lover's wife's hand. Wondering if Nathan remembered her real name.

"It's good to see you again. I love your dress," said Brooke.

"Yours is beautiful too. Thank you," said Haley.

"Miss James, when is my lunch meeting with the people from the New York Times?" asked Nathan of his secretary.

"Um, Thursday at one," she responded.

"Come on Nate, no business talk on a night like this. Come on Hales," said Lucas. The mismatched group of four nodded politely at each other before parting ways.

"Brooke actually had a favour to ask of you," said Lucas, once they were out of earshot.

"Really? Then why didn't she ask me?" wondered Haley, craning her neck around to look at Brooke Scott.

"It's a private thing. She thinks her husband is having an affair," began Lucas. Haley forced her face to remain questioning and neutral. Nathan had been so sure she didn't know. "… and she'd like you to see if you notice anything."

"She wants me to spy on my boss?" echoed Haley in disbelief.

"Please, Hales? She's really nervous, and I'd just like to set her at ease," pleaded Lucas.

"I can't! I could lose my job! And I mean, Mr. Scott would never cheat on Mrs. Scott," said Haley, forcing herself to meet Lucas' gaze.

"I know that. Of course he wouldn't. But just keep your eyes open? Please?" he asked.

"Fine. I'll keep my eyes open," said Haley. It was perhaps a good idea-she could report back to Lucas that she'd noticed nothing amiss, and if he reported the same back to Brooke, her suspicions would be quenched.

"Thank you. Thank you very much. Uh, want to dance?" he asked.

"Not particularly. Oh God, Mr. Scott's coming over here. Probably wants to drill me some more. He's always like that, even in functions," complained Haley.

"Miss James, can I speak with you for a moment?" asked Nathan. Haley nodded, and glanced sideways at her date. It was a good thing that Lucas was so sweet, so trusting.

The two of them walked away, Haley walking a respectful distance behind like a courtier worshipping royalty. Nathan led them to a conference room and locked the door firmly behind him. Haley waited expectantly, her body preparing itself.

"What the hell are you doing?" he demanded angrily as he turned around.

"What?" she asked in confusion.

"With Lucas! My brother! What the hell!" yelled Nathan.

"You said I should come. I needed a date. He's one of my best friends," she said in confusion.

"You needed a date and you picked _Luke_? Do you know how many girlfriends he's had in the past year?" asked Nathan.

"Yeah, actually, seeing as he's practically my best friend," fired back Haley.

"I don't like you seeing him."

"Seeing him? Seeing _him_? What are you on? And besides that, why the hell do you care?" asked Haley.

"I don't care. He's just doesn't have the latest rep," he said.

"So you don't care. Then I might as well go home and get under him," said Haley crudely, testing her theory.

"Miss James, I'd watch your mouth if I was you," he said warningly.

"But you're not me. You don't own me. You don't even know me," challenged Haley.

"You think I don't know you? That I don't know that Peyton has been your best friend since you were nine, that you and Taylor grew up being very distant, but everything changed when you moved into the city? That your favourite colour is blue, the colour the sky is in summer? That your parents, Lydia and Jimmy, had seven kids and sometimes you wish you'd just been an only child? That you got your first kiss in grade seven by Frank Green, and you kneed him in the groin when he put his hand up your skirt?" yelled Nathan, his voice getting louder and more intense as he went on.

"You hear me?" asked Haley, backing down.

"No, I listen to you," he said. He took three steps forward, and drew her into his arms, cradling the back of her head in one hand as he kissed her deeply. Her hands went immediately to unbuttoning the buttons of his shirt as his flew to the zipper on the back of her dress.

"Your wife's in the next room," said Haley, much later when they were finished.

"She has no idea," said Nathan easily.

"She does. She got Lucas to tell me to keep my eyes open," admitted Haley.

"I can't believe she told him and not me," said Nathan disbelievingly.

"Maybe we should…" began Haley guiltily.

"No. Five years after we got married, Brooke had an affair with the doorman. We're not in love like we used to be," he said.

"I'm sorry," she offered.

"Me too. We got to get out there. Don't have sex with my brother," advised Nathan, laughing as he kissed her one more time.

* * *

By the time the combined efforts of Brooke and Lucas had convinced Nathan into a cab, he was completely sloshed. So sloshed that the entire existence of Haley flew out of his mind as his hand began to run gently up and down his wife's thigh in the car.

Brooke felt partially that it was wrong, to accept her husband's intentions after such a long dry spell, particularly when he was drunk. But the two glasses of champagne she'd had had gone directly to her head.

Not bothering to make for the bedroom, the two of them fell onto the couch. Nathan found himself in unfamiliar territory: he knew exactly what to do with Haley, but his wife of ten years made him feel completely lost.

"Haley…" he panted at last, when he'd entered her. Brooke jerked her head in surprised, but convinced herself that she hadn't heard what she thought she'd heard.

* * *

Lucas dropped Haley off at the entrance of her building and waited while she went inside, and trudged up the stairs to her apartment. She was relieved to find it empty: Taylor and Peyton had gone out partying. In the dark, she silently made her way to her bedroom and to the tiny bed that stood in the corner over it.

She knelt down and stroked the feather soft cheek of the small child that was inside of it.

"Good night, baby," she whispered.


	5. Don't Lie to Who Trusts You

Chapter Five: Don't Lie to Who Trusts You

Haley paid the babysitter and hailed a taxi for her to go home in.

She sat up for a while, gazing at her child. Most regarded her decision to keep the child as lunacy, but Haley had never regretted it.

Peyton entered the room silently and looked between her best friend and her goddaughter.

"She looks so peaceful," breathed Peyton.

"Yeah. We're going to change our minds though, when she wakes up screaming," said Haley.

"Totally. She's so great though. I never thought I'd enjoy having a baby in the house," said Peyton.

"To be honest, me neither. But you guys are so great. Speaking of which, didn't I leave Taylor behind to look after her?" said Haley, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah. Tay called me-she said that she was, and then her friends were going partying so she hired a babysitter," recited Peyton.

"God. I don't trust a babysitter. The girl looked about twelve," complained Haley.

"Come on, you know Taylor loves her little niece as much as anyone," said Peyton.

"Yeah. It's pretty cool-she never dealt well with me when I was a baby," said Haley.

"This is different. This is better," said Peyton, putting her arm around her best friend.

After Peyton dozed off, Haley stared at her daughter, lost in thought. The time she'd just spent with Mr. Scott had been more personal somehow than anything they'd ever done. They'd actually shown emotion toward one another. He proved he actually noticed her as slightly more than an agreeable companion. Haley and Nathan had spent a year and a half in a relationship revolved entirely around intercourse. Which was fine, for the most part. He was the best-and the only-she'd ever had.

* * *

Brooke awoke twelve hours later, very sober and very aware.

Nathan had long since left. The apartment was empty, save for her. Their first sex in months made her feel alive, but betrayed. He'd said the name of another woman. Brooke had known for months, deep down. The perfume in itself was enough of a giveaway. But the hurt, the humiliation was fresh on her, eating on her soul. She'd just acted as a consolation prize.

She cursed her drunkenness in annoyance. If she hadn't been drunk, she would have remembered the name of the other woman. However, if she hadn't been drunk, she never would have allowed thing to get so out of hand.

* * *

Peyton Sawyer looked nervously around the Scott Athletic Agency main office. Attempting to look purposeful, she strode to Haley's desk. Haley had taken advantage of a sick day to nurse a slight hangover and to look after her daughter, and had asked Peyton to go in to the office to pick up a file for her.

"Are you looking for something?" asked a voice, as Peyton dropped onto Haley's chair and began to rummage around the jumble of papers on her desk.

Peyton looked up in shock. Looking straight at her were a pair of warm brown eyes. A handsome face with curly brown hair and a broad smile that never failed to reach his eyes and her heart.

"Jake?" she asked, her voice near a squeak. She saw him search his memory.

"You're Haley's roommate… Peyton, right?" he asked.

"Yeah. I'm glad you remembered. I'm just searching for a file," explained Peyton.

"Oh, Haley's working on this one," said Jake, reaching for a yellow folder as Peyton did. Their hands collided, sending shivers down Peyton's spine.

"Thanks, Jake," she said.

"No problem. Is Haley okay?" he asked in concern.

"Yeah. Hungover," she admitted.

"The sick day of the new century. Mr. Scott must be missing her, eh?" said Jake, laughing.

"What?" asked Peyton in confusion.

"Oh, you know… the rumours…"

"No, I don't know. That's not true," said Peyton, watching Nathan emerge from his office, shaking hands with an elderly important looking man.

"Well I guess you'd know. Nice seeing you, Peyton," he said. Peyton forced herself to smile.

Peyton sat back slowly. A rumoured affair with her boss. An unexpected love child that Haley had refused to name the father of. Suddenly it all made sense.

She slowly made her way home on the subway, clutching the file. She'd known Haley all her life, and she had no idea as to how to confront her.

In the end, Peyton confronted her in the only way she knew how:

Head on.

"Haley, what's going on between you and Nathan Scott?" she demanded coolly.

"What? What are you talking about?" asked Haley.

"There are rumours about you," said Peyton.

"Well they're not true," said Haley stubbornly.

"Because you know if they were, it'd be pretty stupid. He's married, first of all. And he's thirty-six. Which, if you'll remember, if twelve years older than you. And he's your boss," hinted Peyton.

"All of which is true, but none of it matters, seeing as he's nothing to me," said Haley, bluffing. Peyton saw through her easily.

"Every day for a year and a half you've been coming home, obviously having had a good time, that good time obviously having nothing to do with secretarial work. Now it all fits," said Peyton.

"Shut up. You're my best friend. You're supposed to believe me," said Haley threateningly.

"I believe what I see, Haley. Your emotions, your eyes. Not your words. They've never been your strong point," said Peyton, turning her back on her friend and slamming the door to her bedroom.


	6. Friends and Lovers

Chapter Six:

"I'm going to Palm Springs with my girlfriends," said Brooke two mornings later at the otherwise silent breakfast table. Nathan's paper went down, and his face came in to view.

"Have fun. I'll call the housekeeper and have them open up the beach house," he said. The Nathan Scotts owned the apartment in New York, the beach house in Palm Springs, a house in Tree Hill, and a condo in California.

"I'm going shopping to get some new things," she said, hoping in vain to catch his attention. He looked up and smiled mildly.

"That's great. Use the Visa," he suggested. "Oh, and Lucas' down there. Maybe you could stop by his place and say hello."

Brooke nodded as his face disappeared behind his paper again. Once upon a time, he'd have cared about a weekend long absence of his wife.

After the remorseful feelings of the day, Brooke felt remorseful when night fell and they climbed into their wide bed. Nathan, with his back to Brooke, was on the right side. Brooke, on the left, remembered the days when she'd cuddle up to her husband and feel his strong arms around her.

Nathan was feeling guilty.

His wife had just announced that she was vacationing, and all he'd managed to say was something about a credit card. Somehow the knowledge that she knew what he was up to made their relations more strained. And he'd never believed they could possibly grow stranger.

He was bad for Brooke. He cheated shamelessly on her, but he wasn't nice to her to make up for it. He wasn't even nice to his mistress. He wasn't nice to anyone anymore.

Peyton and Haley didn't visibly seem upset at one another. They talked, they laughed, they delighted over Haley's daughter. But Peyton was seething, and Haley was made to feel like the worst person she'd ever been. She'd lied to Peyton, the one person that was always been there for her.

Brooke kissed her husband when she left him behind, but didn't bother to look back. She shuddered to think of him in the arms of a beautiful young thing, supple and adoring. But she wasn't blameless. No one, anymore, was blameless.

Nathan idly flicked the television channels, bored out of his mind. It wasn't because Brooke was gone-it was because remorse was eating him alive. He had two women in his life, one he'd once loved, one he lusted for, and he deserved neither of them. There was nothing he could do any more to make Brooke deserving. There was only one more left.

Haley sighed in relief when Peyton and Taylor left. They left to visit Peyton's father. Taylor only accompanied Peyton out of boredom, and Haley was glad to have the apartment almost to herself.

Always proactive, she decided that sitting around was not her forte. Haley went out and decided to paint her bedroom and came back a half hour later, and within hours she was splattered with paint, making faces at her daughter and having, oddly enough, the time of her life.

Nathan didn't exactly know where he was going. He didn't know he knew where he was going. But underneath, he did.

His footsteps took him up three floors of the high rise apartment and to door 37. He was surprised when Haley answered, clad in a pair of boxers and an overused camisole. She blushed immediately.

"Mr. Scott, what are you doing here? I'm busy… I can't…" she said awkwardly.

"Calm down. I'm just here to hang out," he said calmly, entering and looking around.

_Author's note: It's late. I'm tired. The next chapter will more than make up for it, I promise._


	7. What You Learn From Love

Chapter Seven: What You Learn From Love

Haley stared as her boss ventured further into her apartment.

"You're here… to hang out," she clarified in disbelief.

"Yeah. If that's okay. You were painting," he stated.

"And I need to paint again. So if you want to come back some other time…" suggested Haley.

"No, but can I help?" he asked.

"Sure," she said.

A wail erupted from Taylor's bedroom. Haley cringed, and quickly went through her head for excused. Suddenly she remembered the reason her lover had never visited her apartment.

"What's that?" asked Nathan in interest.

"Nothing," said Haley. Ignoring her protests, he followed the noise into the bedroom.

Nathan stooped over the cradle and took the infant easily into his arms. Haley's mouth dropped open when the baby quieted instantly, and her blue eyes stared up at him.

"Who's this?" he asked, smiling down at her.

"Um, Natalya Merryn James," she said quickly.

"James?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She's my sister Taylor's daughter. She and my other roommate, Peyton, are gone for the weekend. Mr. Scott, why are you here?" she asked.

"Okay. Brooke went to Palm Springs and I realized I'm being an asshole. I haven't been treating you like a real person, and you deserve more," he said.

"So to unasshole yourself, to make yourself more worthy of my wife, you're going to start being nicer to your mistress?" asked Haley.

"I don't think there's anything more I can do to make Brooke and I work," he said. He looked back down at the baby, and smiled at her. She giggled. "Natalya Merryn, you said?"

"Yeah. Merryn's my cousin's name," said Haley.

"I like it," he assured her. For a moment, Haley felt a burning desire to tell him the truth.

After Natalya had begun to doze off in her father's arms, he set her back down lightly. The two of them walked back into Haley's room.

After an hour, Haley was able to mask her astonishment at seeing Nathan Scott paint her bedroom purple without his shirt on, and they were actually able to talk.

"So, we going to order in?" he asked, after the first coat had been applied and night had begun to fall.

"My roommates and I usually cook," she informed him.

"Cool, let's go," he said. As if he did it every night, the two of them walked into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and stared at the contents.

"Wow. There's not one thing in here I'd remotely consider eating," he said brightly.

"Yeah, sorry we don't' keep a running supply of steak and beer," she said sarcastically.

"Right, girl roommates. Point taken. But who wants to eat lentil salad?" he asked, bringing out the plastic container. Haley grabbed a fork and sighed dramatically.

"It's delicious! Here," she instructed, taking a forkful of salad and holding it to his mouth.

"You first," he instructed suspiciously. Without a qualm, she lifted it to her own lips and swallowed the mouthful.

"Not so bad," he admitted.

"Told you," she teased.

"Hey, you've got a speck. Right… here," he said, leaning down to lick it away before kissing her. It was the first time he'd kissed her all afternoon. Never before had they gone so long without touching each other.

"Okay, so lentil salad is not on the menu. We're having mac and cheese," she informed him.

"What? We're not four and we're not college students. So we're no longer obligated to have anything that's that bright of an orange," he said, unused to being instructed.

"Well, too damn bad. I love mac and cheese. And besides, I was only a college student three years ago, remember?" she asked.

"Right. Because you're twenty-four. You're making me feel old, girl," he said.

"Want me to make you feel you again?" she asked, going closer to him. He reached out for her as the baby screamed.

"I'll go get her," said Haley. He caught her arm.

"No, let me," he said. He walked out of the kitchen as Haley began to set the water to boil.

There was only one word to describe the environment later that evening: surreal. Nathan fed Natalya her peaches while he ate his own macaroni. Haley and Nathan easily kept up a conversation that often went into flirting. There was only one other word to describe what was happening: family.

When she began to doze of in her highchair, Nathan lifted Natalya out and carried her to her bed. Haley sat in his lap while he read her two stories and she finally feel asleep completely.

"Goodnight Nati," said Haley, hanging over her daughter. She whispered the last sentence quietly, so Nathan wouldn't hear: "Mommy loves you."

Nathan leaned down to kiss her cheek.

"I love babies," he confessed. Haley, who was getting ice cream out of the freezer, looked at him in surprise.

"Then why didn't you ever..?" she asked.

"Have one with Brooke? She was never to keen," he said.

"You still could," said Haley.

"Miss James… Haley… Brooke and I have had sex once in the last six months, and that was the night of the ball. And the only thing I was feeling was that I had betrayed you," he said. She turned to him.

"You didn't have to…" she said awkwardly.

"Yeah, I know. And I also know I shouldn't, don't worry," he said.

"I know it's not my place, but why do you stay together?" asked Haley.

"I can't leave her. I've tried. She's tried. It's guilt mixed with fear," he said.

"And your parents, maybe?" guessed Haley.

"God no. They hate Brooke, they always have. Which is weird, you know? Because she's miserable in Palm Springs and I'm having the time of my life at your house," he said.

Haley cringed slightly at 'time of his life'. She didn't want Nathan to be having a good time. Hell, she didn't want herself to be having a good time. He was married. He loved his wife.

In spite of this, her heart tightened when he came closer and put his arms around her. But all thought was swept from her head when he tilted up her chin and kissed her softly, and more passionately. And eventually took her in his arms and carried her to her bed and made love to her instead of laying her for the first time.

"I feel like we've never done that before," she said.

"Maybe because it's our first time ever on a bed," suggested Nathan. She slapped his shoulder lightly, a gesture that made electricity zing through her for a moment.

"I'm likin' the change," she said.

"So, can I stay the night?" he asked.

"Of course, Mr. Scott," she said coyly.

"_Haley_, do you even know my name?" he asked.

"Of course."

"Then say it," he ordered.

"Nathan," she said bluntly. It shocked her for a second. She said it again: gently, lovingly: "Nathan."

"Haley," he said.

She leaned toward him, and as their eyes locked Natalya's scream cut through them. Haley began to sit up, but Nathan pushed her back down.

"Don't worry, I'll go," he said. He went, and in a moment she was quiet again.

Unable to deal with how personal the situation was, and how she was beginning to feel for him, Haley pretended to be asleep. It was difficult to keep up the pretense when he arrived back, tucked the covers around her, kissed her forehead, and lay down beside her.

Both of them knew something was amiss when they awoke, but neither of them could place it. They both felt warm, safe and loved, and couldn't remember ever waking up and feeling like that.

As Nathan began to orient himself, he realized that during the night, Haley had cuddled up to him and he'd put his arm around her. She'd used his arm as a pillow, and they had been together in that fashion all night long. Somehow it was more personal than all the kisses they'd shared, all the times they'd done the things they'd done on Nathan's desk.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean…" said Haley, feeling groggy. Before she could move away, Nathan wrapped his arm fully around her and pulled her in to him.

"No, it's nice," he said. It was nice. Despite her guilt, despite her misgivings, Haley felt as though it was the nicest thing she'd ever experienced.

"It's wrong though. You're married," she said. His hold on her relaxed.

"Not for long. I'd forgotten how good life could be," he said.

"So you're just going to go home and tell your wife you're leaving? You've been married ten years," said Haley.

"I know. And we should have gotten divorced a long time ago," he said, leaving the room, using the baby's scream as an excuse to stop the uncomfortable conversation.

Nathan stayed another night and another day before going back to the apartment he shared with his wife. Before he left he kissed Haley, kissed Natalya and had to force himself to walk out the of the place that contained so many people that he loved, and back to the gloomy, wealthy apartment of himself and his wife.

_Author's note: Did you know that Merryn is in fact my cousin's name? And a couple more fun facts: Callie Jagielski was originally intended to be Lucas' daughter and therefore not hook up with Sawyer. And Lucy Wheeler was created as Lucas' daughter, changed to Nathan's daughter and was eventually Dan's daughter. Anyway._

_Haley's baby's name is pronounced like: Nat al ee ah Mar in _

_Spoilers (because your reviews have been so awesome)_

_Next chapter is major Brucas. Which will, in turn, bring on some Laley._

_Off topic again. Don't you think it's weird that I don't write more Laley? You'd think I'd go for them, because I wrote 200 pages on Callie and Sawyer, best friends turned into lovers. Except for Sawyer's basically Nathan. And Callie isn't Haley she's like a mixture of Haley and Peyton and someone who's a bit high maintenance. And a bit of a bitch. Anyway._


	8. Revenge and Revelations

Chapter Eight: Revenge and Revelations

Brooke rolled her eyes in impatience as two of her friends began to gossip animatedly at the nose job that someone had gotten. It irritated her that she spent so much time with these women, but irritated her far more than she was one of them.

She heard snippets of their conversations:

"Did you hear… she said that? Dana Peterson… Lucy Wheeler… slut… no, I don't believe _that_."

Holding back a groan of frustration, she got up. Brooke walked quickly into the beach house. Nathan had bought it for them two years after their marriage, just as they had begun to make money. They'd been so happy there.

Surprising herself, Brooke picked up the phone to call her own home. It rang through to the message machine. She tried again.

Suddenly Brooke Scott was struck with the terrifying, rational thought that he was with _her._ She didn't have a name to Brooke, she didn't even have a face, but she existed. In her mind she was large breasted, blonde and had young, beautiful skin. She was everything Brooke was not, and she flaunted it.

Her patience, which had been wearing thin for years, suddenly snapped. Suddenly she was tired of the guilt she felt for her own adultery, and the anger she felt at her husband's. Suddenly she knew that sitting back and watching it happen wouldn't work anymore, and that she had to do something about it.

After changing into a sultry sundress, she got into her car and drove five miles down the beach to another beach house. Lucas Scott's.

"Brooke? What's wrong?" he asked in concern when he answered the door. Losing some resolve, she fell forward into his arms and sobbed.

"Nathan's sleeping with someone who isn't me. We're not in love. I don't know what to do," she said.

"Nathan wouldn't…" began Lucas, in defense of his big brother.

"Nathan did. He said someone elses name when we were… and he's not answering. He's with her now," said Brooke.

"Look, do you want to keep him?" asked Lucas sternly.

"No," she whispered. Gathering her courage, she leaned forward to kiss him lightly. After a moment of shock, of bewilderment, his repressed feeling came fourth: he kissed her back. His arms were suddenly around her, holding her protectively.

"Oh, no. God Brooke, what the hell are we doing?" asked Lucas, when suddenly he realized what he was really doing.

"Indulging ourselves. Luke, can you really deny what you feel for me? What you've always felt for me?" she asked. Lucas' mind took him back in time: to when Nathan had introduced the then Brooke Davis to him and his parents, and he'd prayed, secretly, they'd break up so he could have a chance. When they'd married and he'd had to stand in the church, be the best man, while they were bound together in marriage, glowing with happiness. When he'd had to watch them for ten years, growing steadily unhappier.

"You know how I feel about you, Brooke. I think you've always known. But this… you're my brother's wife, despite how he treats you," said Lucas firmly.

"I don't want you to protect me, Luke. I want you to love me. Like you always have," she whispered. She leaned forward and kissed him again. Somehow he found himself going along with it. It was impossible not to. Brooke was a year or two older than him but she was beautiful. And perfect for him, she always had been.

She hadn't been with many men besides Nathan, so it was his experience that guided them. She tugged off his shirt while he pulled the small sundress she was wearing over her head. Eventually he disappeared between the covers and began to pleasure her before he entered her completely and she pleasured him.

"That was the dumbest thing I've ever done," said Lucas eventually.

"And the best," said Brooke.

"And the best. Are you going to stay with Nathan?" he asked, anxiety tinged in his voice.

"No," she whispered.

"He's your husband, Brooke. This would kill him," said Lucas.

"He doesn't have to know! And we'll wait a while. Until after he marries his mistress. Then we won't seem like such the bad guys," she said, matter-of-factly.

"Wait for what?" asked Lucas.

"What do you want to wait for, Tiger?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. In a mad moment of desire, he lunged for her and they tumbled off the bed, kissing wildly.

Brooke hoped her friends would get drunk on margaritas and fall asleep on the sofas, because otherwise they'd possibly notice that she'd disappeared five hours earlier. And being the bored urban housewives that they were, they'd gossip. And bring their gossip back with them. All of them knew who was staying down the beach, and everyone that 'mattered' in the Manhattan society knew about Lucas Scott's feelings for his sister-in-law, who was perhaps the only woman on the entire island he couldn't get.

Lucas flicked on the television to the news. Brooke gasped when a piece came on about a fire that had occurred at the airport her plane was scheduled to land in the next day. A fire that would mean that no planes could arrive for at least two weeks. Meaning that Brooke Scott was stranded. With her brother-in-law.

"Well, looks like we're going to have to get used to this," she said, winking at him.


	9. Secrets That Change Your Heart

Chapter Nine: Surprises That Change Your Heart

Nathan didn't truly understand why Haley didn't invite him back to her apartment during the extra month that his wife was away, but he didn't question it. He also was skeptical of how good a mother Taylor was to Natalya if Natalya was always with her aunt Haley, but he went along with it. He wanted to see the baby. He was falling in love with her. He was falling in love with both of them.

Haley had been able to get Nathan out of the house weeks previously when Peyton and Taylor had arrived back

"Haley-bub! We're back! Did you miss us?" asked Taylor, crashing through the door.

"Terribly. Hey Peyton," said Haley softly and carefully.

"Hey. I missed this place," said Peyton, catching Haley's eye. Somehow they both knew they were going to be okay.

"I missed you guys. So how'd it go?" she asked.

"Good. Dad has a new girlfriend," said Peyton.

"You had a man here," accused Taylor suddenly.

"What?" asked Haley, sharply taking in her breath.

"You did. I can smell cologne. There's way more dishes in the sink than even you could have possibly managed. You look guilty," accused Taylor.

"I do not. You're paranoid," said Haley lightly.

"Am not. Was it Nati's father?" asked Taylor eagerly, going it to greet her niece.

"It better not have been. Didn't he like ignore you when you told him about her?" asked Peyton, eyeing Haley suspiciously.

"I never told him," admitted Haley.

"God, you're such a tard sometimes. So was he here?" asked Taylor.

"No! I was alone all weekend! Me and Nati hung out and I painted my room. I had a good time," said Haley. Peyton and Taylor looked sideways at each other for a moment and silently communicated.

"So if he was over, did he find out about her?" asked Taylor eagerly. Haley rolled her eyes and wondered if her big sister had ever really listened to her in her entire life.

"Ignoring you now. So Tay, why is it that you'll go visit Peyton's parents and not ours?" asked Haley.

"Because ours are the devil. And they'll fawn over Nati, and sympathize with your hard, hard life and treat me like a whore," said Taylor frankly.

"Instead of treating you like a slut, as they ought to," said Peyton. Taylor thwacked her lazily.

"Funny, funny girl. I'm not the one with the baby though…" said Taylor.

"Hey! I've only ever been with one guy!" defended Haley.

"What? You haven't had sex since you broke up with Nati's daddy?" asked Taylor in interest.

"Not talking to you now," said Haley, getting up and beginning to wash the dishes in the sink.

"You're still sleeping with him!" accused Peyton.

"Shut up. And we're going out," said Haley in annoyance, scooping her daughter up and putting her in her stroller.

Nathan welcomed the two of them into his apartment an hour later.

"When's Brooke coming back?" asked Haley anxiously.

"Not for a few days. She's having a great time," said Nathan.

"Good," responded Haley uncertainly. Nathan reached into the stroller and gently took Natalya into his arms.

"Don't worry," he said.

"Nathan, if you do divorce Brooke and if we get really together, how do I know you won't do the same to me?" asked Haley, staring at her shoes.

"Haley, Brooke has cheated on me before. You stab my back I stab yours, right?" he said. He tilted her chin upward and kissed her lightly.

"You're freaking me out a little bit here," joked Haley.

"Please, not in front of the child. Speaking of which, I got her something," he said. He pulled a fluffy stuffed dinosaur out of a shopping bag and put it by the baby, who giggled happily.

"It's adorable. It looks too expensive," said Haley critically.

"Hush, you. She's about to nod off, is it okay if we leave for a second?" asked Nathan. Haley glanced backwards at Nati.

"Uh, yeah. Why?" she asked, as Nathan took her hand and began tugging her gently toward the bedroom. She sat down on a vanity, one which she hoped instantly did not belong to his wife.

"Uh, hold your hair," he requested. Haley gasped in shock and fear when she saw him approach with a small black velvet box.

She felt the familiar electricity when his fingers brushed the back of her neck, fastening on a necklace. She gasped slightly when she released on her hair and it fell down again, cascading along her back and he saw the beautiful gold necklace with the small heart charm that he'd fastened around her neck.

"It's beautiful," she breathed.

"You're beautiful," he said.

"That's not remotely corny. Oh my God Nathan, thank you so much. I love it," she said. She twisted around to kiss him.

"I'm glad you like it," he said sincerely.

"I do. Honestly, I do. But you're married…" she protested.

"It's over, remember? Come here," he said, his desire for her suddenly overwhelming him. She stood, and they fell onto the bed.

"Hey, this isn't… her bed, is it?" asked Haley awkwardly.

"No. It's down the hall," he assured her, stopping the flow of words from her mouth by pressing his lips on hers.

For once the call of Natalya didn't stop them as they passionately made love. Even if the baby had screamed, nothing could stop the way they were beginning to feel about each other, and how they desired to express it.

Luckily, they were back in the living room playing with Nati when Brooke arrived suddenly back home.

"Nate?" she called through the door. Haley stiffened and cast Nathan a look of terror. He tried to silently calm her while his wife came through the door, proceeded by her many suitcases, which were carried by their butler.

"Brooke, you're finally back!" he said weakly. He stood up from the floor to greet her, kissing her cheek.

"Yeah. I had a great time. Hey, um… Haley, who's this?" she asked, leaning down to smile at the baby.

"Hi Mrs. Scott. I'm just here to drop off some files for Mr. Scott. This is my niece, Natalya," she explained hesitantly.

"She's beautiful. Lovely eyes," commented Brooke. Haley cringed and cast a surreptitious look at Nathan: Natalya was blonde and fair skinned, but she undeniably had her father's eyes.

"Thanks. I mean, I'll tell Taylor you said so. Did you have a good time when you were away?" asked Haley.

"Yeah, it was great. Oh, she's precious," said Brooke, as Natalya smiled her wide, almost toothless grin.

"I'll be going now," said Haley. She picked up Natalya from the floor and put her back in her stroller.

Brooke stared calculatingly after Haley as she left.

"So, did you see Lucas at all?" asked Nathan.

"Once or twice," she lied easily.

"That's good. Brooke, we need to talk," he said. He dropped down onto the sofa, and she sat across from him.

"Okay," she said.

"Look, we both know that this marriage isn't working out for us anymore. Any love we have is just from the past, and we can't make our lives work on that. So I think we should consider…" he began. She shushed him.

"Nathan, I know what you're trying to say. And a month ago, I'd have agreed with you. But I have news. News that I'm fairly sure will change you mind," she said, her eyes sparkling.

_Author's note: I have been receiving some skepticism about the constant adultery in this story, and I just want to say this: I don't condone it remotely. I think it's despicable. I don't think people who practice it deserve happy endings. Anyway._

3


	10. Bridges Gapped and Broken Hearts

Chapter Ten: Bridged Gaps and Broken Hearts

"Miss James, could you come in here for a moment?" came the familiar voice from the intercom on Haley's desk. She flushed and looked around apprehensively.

"Nathan," she said, when she'd closed the door behind her. Nathan had new resolve, but that didn't stop him from staring at his beautiful secretary, looking so desirable in his eyes.

She grew apprehensive as he remained behind his desk, looking distant and professional. For the past month they'd been on the same level, but somehow he was far away from her again. So far that she knew somehow that she could no longer reach him.

"Haley… Miss James…" he said.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her voice suddenly void of emotion, her colour drained.

"We can't continue on like this," he said stiffly.

"But you promised…" she said.

"The situation has altered," he explained.

"Altered? It's been under twenty-four hours," she said in disbelief.

"Miss James…"

"Don't you 'Miss James' me. Don't you dare pretend I mean so little to you, you lying bastard," she said.

"It's not like that. If I could I would, believe me. But I can't. Brooke… she's…. pregnant," he said finally. "And we're giving it another chance."

Haley stared at him for a moment longer before departing at a run from the door. He leapt up and caught her against him, restraining her violent desire to get away from him before she burst into tears. Eventually she stilled and her tears fell wildly. She pushed up close to him, and he held her tightly, both of them terrified that it would be the last time.

"You can't…" she whispered.

"I have to. Can't you understand that?" he asked.

"No! You can't, Nathan! You can't because…" she broke off in another burst of tears.

"Because?" he asked gently, dreading and desiring her answer.

"Because I love you, Nathan," she whispered. He tightened his hold on her, wishing he never had to let go.

"I'm sorry," he managed to say.

"I've always loved you. You've been terrible to me, we've been distant to each other, and nothing has stopped me from loving you," she said. He tucked her head under his chin.

"I don't know how I can stand to live without you, Hales. But I know I'm going to have to," he said.

"I was a virgin before you," she said.

"If I'd known that, I wouldn't have done to you what I've done," he said.

"And I'd regret it. I should go," she said.

"Yeah. I guess you should. Maybe I could go visit you sometimes? See Natalya. See you?" he said. She looked up at him.

"I don't think that would be a very good idea. Which is why you'll have my resignation tomorrow," she said. Somehow she gathered the courage to pull away from him. Instantly his body yearned for the feel of her petite body in his arms again.

"Haley, don't. You can stay. I can't just let you go like that," he said.

"Face it, Nathan. I'm the worst secretary in the world. And I've only been able to keep the job for so long because I was sleeping with my boss. So if I'm not anymore…" she said.

"I could get you a promotion…" he offered.

"Nathan, don't you get it? I can't work so close to you if we're being just friends. I can't watch you and your wife have a baby. And I won't stay here to be your eye candy. You have anyone else you want for that," she said. He caught her arm in his grasp as she left the room, but she managed to shake him off.

Haley's tears were evident as she left the office. She managed to ignore the stares of her co-workers as she went to her desk and began to empty it out into cardboard boxes.

Peyton gasped in surprise when her best friend stumbled into their apartment, clutching a box and tear streaked. She rushed up to assist her.

"Baby what's wrong?" she asked in concern.

"His wife's pregnant," said Haley. Peyton's anger, resentment and disapproval vanished immediately at the sight of her friend so heartbroken.

"Nathan Scott's?" she asked gently.

"Was it so transparent?" asked Haley.

"There's not much you can hide from me," said Peyton.

"I'm sorry I lied to you," sniffed Haley.

"That's okay. You want to tell me about it?" asked Peyton, gently leading her best friend to the sofa.

"Well last month when you guys were away and we started to have a relationship that was more personal, you know? And I kept visiting him with Nati at his apartment, and I thought we'd fallen in love. And he bought me the necklace, and he said he was divorcing his wife. And then I go in there today, and he said she's pregnant and they're giving their marriage another shot," said Haley. Peyton put her arms around her comfortingly.

"I'm so sorry. So you quit?" she asked.

"Yeah. I couldn't stay there, with him so close by," said Haley.

"I can understand that," sympathized Peyton. Gaining more control of herself, Haley took a better look at her friend and noticed she was dressed up.

"Hey, were you going out?" asked Haley curiously.

"I kind of have a…" she began. The doorbell suddenly rang, and Peyton bounced up to answer it.

Haley gasped when the door swung open to reveal Jake Jagielski.

"Haley? You left so suddenly today, are you okay?" he asked, after greeting Peyton.

"I'm good," she said.

"You look like you've been… what happened..?" he asked.

"Come on, like you don't know," she said bitterly.

"Right. I'm sorry-you really loved him, didn't you?" he asked.

"I really loved him. Go you guys, have fun," ordered Haley.

"If you want me to…" said Peyton awkwardly.

"You're not staying home on my account! Come on, you've crushed on him for months!" said Haley. Peyton blushed.

"Well Taylor probably won't be home until the wee small hours, but you could call Lucas," suggested Peyton brightly. Haley raised her eyebrows and swiped a hand under her eye to wipe a tear.

"To tell him that I slept with his brother? Great idea. Now go!" she said, failing an attempt at a laugh.

After a moment, she crept to the front window and stared down. Peyton and Jake were already hand in hand. She could see them laugh, even though she was many stories up.

She picked up her daughter and put her to nurse at her breast when she called out for her.

"Nati, you know Mommy loves you but remember your Daddy loves you too, okay?" said Haley. Natalya reached up and tugged on one of Haley's hanging blond locks.

"I thought you were all I needed, but it turned out I needed more," said Haley, another wave of tears rushing forth.

Nathan Scott stared broodingly out of the window of his luxury penthouse apartment. He was thinking about Haley. He wondered if he'd ever stop thinking about her.

He looked guiltily at his wife as she bounced in the door. Whether or not she'd wanted the baby, she was happy to be carrying it. She seemed to glow from the inside.

"Hey Brooke," he said weakly.

"Hey baby. I went to the doctor today, everything's going along well," said Brooke, sitting neatly on his lap.

"That's great. I wish you'd told me, I would have gone along with you," he said.

"I know you're busy. What did you do today?" she asked.

"Not much. My secretary quit," he said, hiding his emotion.

"This would be… Haley? Luke's friend?" asked Brooke. When she said the name of her brother-in-law, she prayed that her husband wouldn't see how she felt about him.

"Yeah. Luke's friend," he said, staring out the window again and picking up the beer he'd gotten from the fridge.

"Did she supply a reason?" asked Brooke.

"Nope."

"Too bad. Nice girl, I thought. Beautiful baby," gushed Brooke.

"Yeah. Just gorgeous…" he said, wishing that fate had taken his life a different course.

3


	11. What We Wish We'd Forgotten

Chapter Eleven: What We Wish We'd Forgotten

There were some parts of herself that Haley didn't like to acknowledge.

Like the fact that the only reason she had kept her job for so long was because she was sleeping with her boss kind of made her a hooker.

Like her obvious trust issues, and her uncertainties concerning him, which made it impossible to tell him about his biological child.

Like the fact that despite the insecurities, his spouse, their age difference, she'd fallen completely in love with him.

Sometimes she forgot just exactly when she'd started loving him. Was it that time, so long ago, that Lucas had arranged the interview at Nathan's company and she'd gone in, sat across the desk from her and he'd simply smiled at him? Or the time, not so long after she'd begun working, that she'd gone into his office, expecting to do an errand for him and had somehow, inexplicably found herself completely seduced by him? Or when she'd decided not to abort her child?

It had been the obvious answer. She was pregnant, alone and only twenty-three.

_They'd been lovers for months already, but barely on speaking terms. Despite wanting to know Mr. Scott better as a person, he had ways of making her feel like she'd never felt before._

_Haley, a virgin before Mr. Scott, had never had to worry about becoming pregnant and therefore didn't connect the dots when she started feeling constantly queasy and had mood and appetite swings. But after two missed periods and the growing skepticism of her two roommates, she took an at home pregnancy test. And then another one, when she didn't fully accept the obvious truth._

_She was pregnant. _

_Taylor hinted that she should abort, Peyton pushed for adoption. Nathan had no idea. When she was six months along and beginning to show, she requested a long leave of absence and flew off to California to visit her parents. When she arrived she told them everything_

_She lived in relative comfort and acute unhappiness for three months. A week before her due date, she went into labour and fairly easily delivered a six and a half pound baby girl._

_Haley didn't know why she was expecting a boy, but she had been. So when her baby girl popped out, she had no idea of what to call her. She already had a boys name lined up-Nathan Lucas James. When the boy didn't materialize it, she tried her best to feminize the name, into Natalya. She picked up her cousin's name for the middle name, and three weeks later, she arrived back in New York to raise her daughter with her best friends._

And it had been that way ever since. Many months of raising her daughter, interacting with Taylor and Peyton and having sex with Mr. Scott. It had all been the same, up until that sacred day a month previously when he'd stepped into her life for real.

* * *

Brooke was in denial.

But it wasn't proper denial, because she knew she was in it. She knew that the baby couldn't possibly be Nathan's, but also knew she'd never admit to herself or anyone else that it was Lucas'. Partially due to the fact that sleeping with someone because you were annoyed that your husband was sleeping with someone was fairly despicable, and also partially because she did want her marriage to work.

"Brooke?" called Lucas. Brooke ran to catch the door.

"Luke, come in," she said. She hadn't seen or talked to him since all their time together in Florida.

"What's up? You okay?" he asked.

"Not really. Luke…"

"What, Nathan and you splitting up?" he asked.

"Luke, let me talk. I'm pregnant. And I'm staying with Nathan," she said, looking away, knowing she couldn't stand looking any longer into his eyes.

"And it's his?" asked Lucas eventually.

"I don't know," she said.

"You do know," he said, quietly persistent. He turned his face toward his with his index finger.

"It's yours," she admitted.

"Tell Nathan. You know this isn't working," said Lucas gently.

"Luke, this is a marriage! You can't just leave it!" she exclaimed.

"When you're pregnant with someone else child, I think you kind of get a get out of jail free card," he said.

"It doesn't work like that. I'm sorry," she said. Leaning forward, he kissed her gently. Letting go of her ideals, she opened her mouth and let him in.

"Stop it! I can't!" she said, tearing her mouth away from his.

"You said it yourself, that Nathan's having an affair."

"I think it's over. You have to go," she said. Slowly he stood and walked purposefully out of the door into his empty life.

Lucas felt as though his life was a series of dead ends. He'd lost his brother by sleeping with his wife. He'd lost Brooke by impregnating her. He was going to have to retire from his all-star career, too. Younger men were continually coming in to steal the show. He had nothing anymore.

And he needed something.

A sudden realization brought him in a cab to Haley's apartment.

"Hey," he said, nearly breathless. Haley had answered the door with Natalya on her hip. Lucas had always known that Haley was beautiful, but it had never occurred to him to ask her out. She was so innocent, so unlearned in the ways of the world in his eyes.

"What's up?" she asked. She hoped he wouldn't notice the puffiness in her eyes.

"I just wanted to talk," he said. Uninvited, he walked into her apartment and dropped onto a sofa.

"Okay. Natalya's getting a new tooth and she's being clingy-I don't have much time," said Haley.

"What, Taylor's not around?" asked Lucas.

"No. What is it that you want?" she asked.

"I wondered if you wanted to go out some time," he said slowly. Haley nearly dropped her baby in surprise. Before two years ago, she'd barely gotten to second base. Now she was romantically involved (almost) with the city's most eligible bachelor, and the mother of his brother's child.

"What?" she managed to say. Lucas Scott was her man friend-her only man friend. Never her boyfriend.

"Look Haley, I've dated a lot. You more than anyone know that. And you're the only woman out there I can spend time with and actually enjoy myself, so I think that counts for a lot," he said.

"Okay," she said sullenly. Lucas didn't exactly know why he was doing what he was doing, but he was surprised when she agreed to go along with it.

"Okay?"

"Okay. Take me somewhere fabulous," she requested.

"Okay. I'll take you somewhere fabulous. Uh, tomorrow night?" he requested.

"Tomorrow night," she agreed.

"Uh, how's work?" he asked. Haley's eyes instantly clouded over.

"I quit."

"Why?"

Haley paused, and looked across at him. Suddenly she had a burning desire to tell him absolutely everything.

"We wanted different things," she said eventually.

_Author's note: The previous author's note was in no way meant to determine the ending of this story, and is merely my personal views._


	12. Who You Want to Belong To

Chapter Twelve: Who You Want to Belong To

Haley and Lucas did go out the next night. And the night after that, and two nights after that. By the end of the month they had gone out many times, but were no closer to either love or sex.

"So what are we doing this Saturday?" asked Haley, looking up at Lucas at end of their most recent date.

"I was going to ask you about that. My parents are coming back into town. And we were planning on meeting them at the Plaza for dinner," said Lucas.

"We? As in Nathan and Brooke? As in my boss and his wife?" asked Haley in slight panic.

"Well yeah. But Nathan told me you quit, that he didn't fire you," said Lucas.

"Nathan… Nathan told you that. Did he tell you anything else?" asked Haley.

"Well no. But you were his secretary. You aren't anymore. What else is there to tell?" wondered Lucas.

"Nothing. Nothing, of course," she said. Leaning down, he gently kissed her.

His kiss left Haley unfulfilled. Technically, it was a good kiss. A gentle brush that descended sweetly in to more. But it felt like nothing. It felt like she deserved to get caught.

The two of them waited silently while the elevator went up the floors. Before they'd dated, they'd never been able to shut up around each other. Now it was as if so many doors were closed to them.

"I got something for you," he said eventually.

"Thanks," she said, smiling at him.

"It's a necklace," he said.

"Really smooth. You're supposed to put it on me, and let your fingers brush up against my throat to give me shivers," she said. He laughed.

"Okay. Turn around."

Haley lifted her blonde hair out of the way as Lucas got the necklace out of the box it had came in. He was surprised when he came across another necklace, already on her neck.

"Mind if I take this one off?" he asked. Instinctively she felt her throat for the small heart that always rested there.

"Not at all. It doesn't matter," she said softly. He unclasped the necklace and placed it carelessly on the coffee table before fastening on his own.

Haley smiled when she saw it-her own name on a gold chain. It was younger, more casual than Nathan's gift, but it worked for her.

"Thank you. It's perfect," she said.

After he left, Haley picked the discarded necklace up from the coffee table. She felt as though she'd been branded, first by Nathan and then by his brother.

She felt that way because she had been. She'd belonged to Nathan, in a way she could never belong to Nathan. Partially because of the lack of love between them, but also partially because both Brooke and Nathan stood in their way. Would always stand in their way.

Haley knew that didn't Lucas didn't love her, that he loved someone else. She didn't know who she loved, she didn't particularly want to know. It was a good thing that she didn't know-knowing that the baby that had taken the man she loved away from her wasn't in fact his baby would have made everything harder for her.

In a show of rebellion, she wore Lucas' necklace to the dinner with his parents.

"Mom, Dad, this is my good friend Haley James," said Lucas. Dan and Karen Scott looked up.

"Haley, it's nice to meet you. I love your dress," said Karen quickly. Dan took a longer time to respond, apparently evaluating his son's date.

"Haley. Where did you go to school?" he asked.

"Um, NYU," she said nervously. Dan nodded emotionlessly before smiling.

"Well it's very nice to meet you. You sit right here," he said. Smiling at Lucas, she sat next to his father while the rest of them waited for Nathan and Brooke.

Surprisingly, Dan Scott took a shine to Haley James. For the first time in years, he heartily approved of one of his son's girlfriends.

"Nate!" called Dan, when he saw his elder son approach, his wife on his arm. Karen and Lucas smiled at the later arrivals. Haley stared at her water glass and prayed for poise.

"Mr. Scott, Mrs. Scott, hello," she said, falsely cheerfully. Unable to help himself, Nathan's eyes swept from her face down to the cleavage that her dress hinted at.

"Haley, please call me Brooke," requested Brooke. It surprised the whole table for a moment-Brooke had never requested such a thing. Everyone looked at Nathan to issue a similar request, but he didn't speak. He couldn't bring himself to speak to her.

When Haley noticed Nathan's eyes on her again, she timidly fingered the necklace she wore. It had always been their signal. She hoped he'd remember.

"Uh, I have to go the bathroom," he said immediately.

"Actually, I do to. I guess you know where they are?" said Haley, rising gracefully. Together the two of them walked off silently.

Haley was surprised when Nathan directed her toward a wall near the bathroom and put a fist on either side of her, blocking her in.

"What are you doing with him?" asked Nathan.

"Come on, you left me. I can't stand around waiting for you," she said.

"Do you love him?" Haley looked up into his eyes.

"You know the answer to that. Nathan."

"I don't want…" he began.

"Yeah, well, I don't want to be with him either. He doesn't do anything for me. He works far better as my best friend. But you left me in something of a lurch," she burst out. When he leaned down to kiss her, she turned her head away.

"Don't you dare. You abandoned me. You lied to me. Brooke deserves better," said Haley.

"I…" he tried to say.

"Don't. Don't you dare. I can't handle that," she said. Turning his face gently with her hand, she softly kissed his freshly shaven cheek.

Haley half expected him to turn her face and claim her lips, but he didn't try to. Together they walked stiffly back to the dining room, talking as normally as they possibly could.

Haley forced herself to listen and look congratulatory as Brooke announced her happy news. She didn't notice Lucas looking pensive, and Nathan staring at her again.

Lucas and Haley left the Plaza separately, each lost in their own thoughts.

"How was the evening?" asked Peyton softly, emerging out of the shadows with Natalya in her arms.

"Terrible. I think Nathan tried to tell me he loved me," she said. She reached out for her daughter.

"You…?"

"Stopped him. It's so hard. And I'm not remotely in love with Lucas. It's just all so wrong. But his father liked me," she said.

"Dan? I thought you said he didn't like anybody?" said Peyton.

"Guess not. Karen's nice though," said Haley.

"Meeting his parents, wearing his necklace… getting serious?" asked Peyton, jealousy tinged in her voice.

"Not remotely. We haven't done it. I don't even want to. I have a kid, for God's sake," said Haley.

"And you're in love with his brother. Always makes it more difficult," said Peyton.

"That too," agreed Haley.


	13. Some of Us Deserve a Happy Ending

Chapter Thirteen: Some of Us Deserve a Happy Ending

_Author's note: FYI: Nathan is 36, Brooke is 34, Lucas is 32, Taylor is 28, Peyton is 27, Haley is 24 and Natalya is six months._

Brooke was over analyzing.

She was thinking about the baby. Natalya had her husband's eyes. She'd never seen something before that was so glaringly obvious.

Finding resolve, she called her husband's car to come pick her up. From the address book in her purse she managed to find the address of Haley James, who she knew lived with the mother of her husband's daughter.

"Hi," said Taylor uncertainly as she answered the door. She didn't recognize the brunette, Chanel clad woman that stood in front of her, but the woman seemed to know her. Taylor hoisted Natalya further onto her hip, and Brooke looked again at the baby.

"Are you sleeping with my husband?" she asked desperately. Taylor raised a perfectly arched eyebrow.

"Uh, why don't you come in?" she suggested.

It wasn't until Brooke was sitting down, a cup of tea before her, that Taylor suggested she explain.

"Who's your husband?" she asked. A ray of hope darted through Brooke.

"Nathan Scott," she said.

"Haley's boss. So why do you think we're having an affair? Because we're not," assured Taylor.

"Because that's your baby, and it's obviously his baby," said Brooke. Taylor stared at her for a moment.

"My..? This isn't my baby. Nati's Haley's daughter," she explained.

"Haley? This is Haley's daughter?" asked Brooke.

"Yeah. Does that answer your question?" asked Taylor.

"Yeah. Thanks for your time," she said, all but running out of the apartment.

Brooke silently entered her own home and looked around. It was beautiful. She'd miss it the next day, after she'd left her husband. It was so full of personal touches, of memories. For better or worse, they'd built a life there.

"Brooke?" called out Nathan. She steeled herself for the inevitable.

"Nate," she said softly. For a moment she stared at him. He was so tall, so handsome. A perfect man. A perfect man for a woman that wasn't her.

"What's wrong?" he asked. His eyes darted to her belly. She felt it was all he cared about any more. She had ceased to matter to him, they were only together for the zygote that wasn't even his.

"You're sleeping with Haley James?" she asked, suddenly tired of the whole thing. She didn't want to fight. She just wanted to go and be with the man she loved.

"Not anymore," he said. A tear trickled down her cheek, for what she'd lost.

"Oh."

"That's all you want to say? We broke up when you told me about the baby," he explained.

"You shouldn't have bothered. It's not your baby," she burst out. His fists clenched at his sides, but they were both so far beyond anger at each other.

"It's Lucas'?" asked Nathan. She nodded silently. "Believe it or not, I want you to be happy."

"I believe it. But that baby – Natalya- she's not Taylor's. She's Haley's. And she's yours," said Brooke.

"What?"

"I talked to Taylor. I think Haley said it was Taylor's baby in hopes of not breaking us up. It was a noble thing, I think. Do you love her?" asked Brooke. He wanted to look down, but her hazel eyes forced him to keep contact.

"More than anything," he said at last. Somehow they bridged the distance between each other and hugged gently.

"I was so mad at you on the way here, but then it kind of evaporated. So, want a divorce?" asked Brooke tearfully.

"You love him?" asked Nathan.

"I think on some level, I always have," she whispered. Nathan smiled cynically.

"This really isn't my day, is it?" he stated.

"Not your day? You're no longer obligated. You just found out that a child you already adore is your own daughter. You have a family you love, and I don't begrudge your particularly because I fairly bitchily slept with your own brother. This has all worked out pretty damn good," she said.

"Brooke, I did love you…" he began.

"Stop feeling guilty. We're both to blame. Go," she instructed.

"You're sure..?"

"Go get her, Tiger," she said. She lightly kissed his cheek and suddenly he was gone.

* * *

Brooke paused for about a moment before running out of the apartment and down to the street. It was only a matter of blocks to reach Lucas' high-rise, high-class building.

"Luke?" she called, into the seemingly empty space. He emerged from his bedroom, blinking rapidly, obviously having just come from sleep.

"Brooke?" he said in confusion. She threw herself on him. After a moment, he hugged her tightly and returned her kiss.

"It's over. We're through. I love you," she said.

"I love you too. But my girlf…" he began.

"Oh please. Haley's in love with Nathan and they have had an affair for two years and a baby. She won't be terribly put out. So, will you marry me?" she asked. He laughed.

"Whatever you want," he promised.

* * *

"Haley. HALEY!" called Taylor, as she came into the apartment.

"Tay? What's wrong?" asked Haley in confusion.

"I did bad. I'm sorry," she whispered.

* * *

Nathan ran down the many flights of stairs and hailed a cab, directing it in a rushed voice toward Haley's home.

He banged open the door of her apartment and rushed in, straining for the gurgling of his daughter and the laughter of her mother.

"Haley?" he called, waiting impatiently for her to come out so he could tell her how much he loved her. "Haley?"

He heard movement. He turned to see a blonde woman emerge from Haley's bedroom, but the wrong blonde woman. Not his blonde woman.

"Taylor?" he said in confusion. "What..?"

Taylor stared at him for a moment before speaking, overcome with her own grief and her guilt.

"I'm sorry Nathan," she said at last. "She's gone."

Nathan ran past her into Haley's bedroom. Nati's crib stood in the corner, but without Nati in it. Everything she owned seemed to be scattered across the floor, her closet door gaping open. On the floor, amongst her other belongings, was Lucas' necklace-it looked as though she'd taken his own.

Nathan dropped onto the bed. For the first time in his life, he felt like there was nothing worth living for anymore.


	14. But Not All of Us Get One

Chapter Fourteen: But Not All of Us Get One

_.Author's note: to Sw33t Lavender (Sophie) my name is Hilary. Thank you for asking, and thanks for your reviews.

* * *

_

Nathan emerged from the bedroom and grasped Taylor's shoulders, shaking her lightly.

"Where is she?" he demanded.

"I don't know. She wouldn't tell me," she said.

"You're lying. Tell me, I'm not going to hurt her," he pleaded.

"No! She didn't tell me! And I'm fairly sure it was because she didn't trust me not to tell you! Because I want to tell you!" Taylor exclaimed.

"So she just left? With my daughter? My wife's gone to my brother, I'm free to be with her and she just left?" demanded Nathan.

"She thought everything was messed. The whole reason she never told you about Natalya was because she didn't want your marriage to be ruined," said Taylor.

"Where would she go?" asked Nathan. Taylor shrugged. "Come on, I need to know. Your parents? A sibling?"

"Our parents travel, and Haley wouldn't go to a sibling. She obviously doesn't want to be found. She's got to come back eventually," said Taylor. He stared at her for a moment.

"I'm not prepared to wait for eventually. Goodbye, Taylor," he said, running again from the room.

* * *

Nathan hailed another cab and they sped toward JFK airport. He didn't know what possessed him to look there but he knew if he didn't try, he'd regret it for the rest of his life.

He threw the cab driver some money before rushing into the large building. Staring wildly around the bustling space, he blindly made his way toward the gate that was announcing it's final boarding call.

A short lineup was in front of the desk checking people in for the plane. The one second to the last had long blonde hair, a short stature.

"Haley?" he called out experimentally. Her face whipped around to see him, and he caught a glimpse of the baby in her arms. He stood still while she stared at him, as though evaluating him.

While she stared, the rest of the lineup handed their boarding passes to the attendant and boarded the plane. She stared a moment longer before the attendant lightly touched her arm. Struck out of her reverie, Haley handed in her boarding pass, hoisted Natalya further onto her hip and made for the door.

"Haley!" yelled Nathan in a panic. She was so close to him now.

She turned one more time and smiled slightly at him, a smile of love and regret.

"_I love you_," she mouthed to him. He began to run desperately toward her, but before he could reach her she stepped through the door and it was closed firmly behind her.

"Can you let me in?" he demanded of the blonde woman who had just closed the door.

"Sorry, only those who have purchased tickets are allowed in. Airport policy," she explained.

"Please? That's my kid that just went in there. It's highly possible that I'm never going to see her again," he pleaded. The woman gave him a blank look before turning and walking away.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone, furiously punching in the speed dial to Haley's own cell.

"Hello?" came her voice.

"Haley? Come back," said Nathan urgently.

"I'm sorry, I can't," she said, hanging up her phone. When he rang her again, she'd turned it off.

Nathan stared out the large window as her plane departed, gaining speed as it moved along before taking flight.

* * *

"I wonder what's Nathan's doing right now?" said Brooke, happily in the arms of her brother-in-law.

"With Haley, hopefully," he said, kissing her hair.

"Doesn't that kind of freak you out?"

"Totally. But I slept with his wife. It kind of negates my right to object," he said.

"You're so smart. It's kind of hot," said Brooke.

"Oh yeah?" he asked, laughing.

"Oh yeah," she said seductively, moving on top of him and kissing him.

Much later they lay contentedly in each other's arms again, exhausted but exhilarated.

"Are you excited?" she asked suddenly. He looked confusedly at her for a moment before she indicated her stomach.

"Of course. I've always wanted kids," he said.

"I haven't, but I'm glad somehow. Wouldn't it be creepy if it looked like Nathan?" she said, giggling.

"Completely. I think it will be blonde though. Have dimples, your cute little cheeks, and my eyes," he said.

"Hey, I don't have cute little cheeks," she said, giggling in delight.

"Sure you don't. And he'll be a basketball player…"

"And a ladies man…"

"And a perfect gentleman, of course," added Lucas.

"Of course," she agreed.

"When do you want to get married?" he asked.

"After I'm divorced," she said easily.

"Okay. Works for me. Do you think it will take long?" he asked.

"No. We'll sell the New York apartment, I'll take the Palm Springs house, he'll take the Tree Hill house and we'll sell the California condo. He can take everything else. It all has bad karma," she explained.

"That sounds way too easy," said Lucas.

"I guess. It isn't," she said.

"Nathan's not going to sue you, there's no kids. I hope you're right," said Lucas.

"Yeah. Me too," she said, kissing him gently.

* * *

Nathan stared at the only photograph of Haley he possessed. Natalya was on her lap, tugging her long blonde hair. She was smiling, half at the camera and half at her baby. Her smile wasn't posed, it was a grin of genuine delight.

Nathan couldn't make himself smile. She'd said she loved him. Ignorantly he'd supposed she'd wait for him. Her plane had taken her to California, but that wasn't a very big clue-it was one of the largest states, and if Haley didn't want to be found, she wouldn't be.

Brooke was gone along with her personal belongings when he arrived back at the apartment. He was happy for her, on some level, despite the fact that she'd betrayed him so royally. But he wasn't blameless-none of them were blameless anymore.


	15. When She's Gone

Chapter Fifteen: When She's Gone

The divorce was easy. With the aid of a mediator, Nathan agreed to Brooke's terms, tried to get her to accept his money and let her keep the wedding china. To replace the elegant apartment he bought a new one in a similar area on the upper east side, right on the park. A perfect place to raise a family. He was in serious denial.

To avoid gossip, Lucas and Brooke left for Florida. Nathan stayed in New York, the object of everyone's sympathy. Daily he called Haley on her cell phone, weekly he called Taylor to entreat her to inform him of Haley's whereabouts. He didn't completely believe she didn't know. He didn't want to believe it.

Karen sympathized with her son and Dan internally rejoiced. He'd never believed that Brooke was good enough for his son. He'd always thought they'd married too early. He was smug even when he found out that Brooke had been impregnated by his less favoured son. Karen had been properly horrified.

Similar opinions had been made of Natalya. Nathan had loved the girl like his own, recognized her blue eyes, but had never dreamt that she was in fact his child. He wondered why Haley had lied to him. If she'd told him earlier, Brooke would have told him about her own child, and they could have been together. But Haley had no way of knowing that.

Defiantly he hired a new secretary. She was blonde, buxom, and extremely flirtatious. Somehow she was hotter than Haley, though less beautiful, and she didn't interest him remotely.

The days passed monotonously for Nathan, but for Lucas and Brooke, each one was treasured. They learned how to live with each other. They made love constantly, they bought things for their baby and for their new life. They booked a wedding date, six months after the birth of the baby, when they expected the divorce to be finalized. It was a bit crude, perhaps, to plan a wedding when one was still married (like Henry VIII. And look how that ended.) but Nathan wasn't one to begrudge them happiness.

On some nights, it seemed as though Lucas and Brooke were the only happy people in the entire city.

* * *

"You seriously have no idea where she went?" asked Peyton of Taylor for the thousandth time. Every day of the year they were an oddly matched pair, together only because of their respective relations with Haley.

"No. She came home, I told her what I'd told Nathan and basically she said she'd once promised herself that she would never ruin their marriage, and she didn't want Natalya hurt like she had been. So she just left. I tried to stop her, but…" Taylor shrugged helplessly.

"She's stubborn as hell, I get it. I never thought she'd leave like that. Why California?" wondered Peyton.

"Because she needed to get away, I guess. And she really, really didn't want to be found. I'm still surprised though. Even when we were little, Haley wasn't impulsive," remarked Taylor.

"Except with Mr. Scott," said Peyton.

"Sort of. God, I can't believe Natalya is his. He's such a fox," said Taylor.

"At least we know your mind's on topic," said Peyton sarcastically.

"Rich, too. Haley did well," said Taylor.

"Except for the fact that he's married. Or was," added Peyton.

"I can't believe she didn't tell us," said Taylor. Cautiously she leaned her head onto Peyton's shoulder. Despite what she felt about what Haley had done, she did miss her.

"No. All those jokes about her mystery man-I thought they were just jokes. I didn't really believe it. I thought she slept with some guy while she was drunk, along came Natalya. I didn't think she was actually in love…" said Peyton.

"Yeah. But there were all those times we set her up on dates and she was so uninterested. It sort of makes sense," said Taylor.

"Yeah. Jake says that everyone at work is talking about it," said Peyton.

"Must be. So you're still with him?" asked Taylor in surprise.

"Yeah, why not?"

"Well the fact that you're in love with Lucas could get in the way…" began Taylor. Peyton grabbed a sofa cushion and whacked Taylor over the head with it. They giggled until they guiltily remembered Haley's absence, and sat carefully back down.

"I even miss Natalya. I love her but she's just so loud, you know?" remarked Peyton.

"Yeah. Makes it harder to bring home guys, too. I miss her, Pey," said Taylor.

"Me too. I wish she'd just call, so we knew she was still alive," said Peyton.

"I wish she'd just come home," said Taylor.


	16. Put Aside Your Past

Chapter Sixteen: Put Aside Your Past

The door of the room swung open and Nathan looked up as Haley entered, dressed in a black negligee. She sauntered in.

"Hey, you're back," he said.

"Couldn't keep away from you," she said softly.

"Course not," he joked. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, she pushed him back onto the bed and climbed astride him.

He stripped her off the black lace fabric, and began to trail kisses down her body.

"I can't believe this is happening…" he said.

"Believe it, superstar," she said.

* * *

Nathan woke with a start. Even his dreams were not free of her.

He arose from his bed and went to the window. Even at three in the morning it was wide awake. He loved it, but knew he'd have to leave it soon. In the triangle of him, his soon to be ex-wife and his brother, he was viewed as the victim. This would assuredly change if Haley came back, agreed to be with him. The entire city would see his daughter, calculate her age…

He knew he was in love with Haley, but he didn't know how it had come about. Back when they'd started, he'd found her very attractive. He was twelve years older than her but when she'd come into his office, he hadn't been able to resist her. Somewhere along the line she'd become something of an addiction to her. He'd try and stop, but find himself completely a slave to her. He'd tell himself it was wrong, that Brooke deserved more, and he'd end up calling Haley to his office. He told himself it was because Brooke had been unfaithful to him, but it was because of more than that. **Haley had been away for five months already**, he didn't know how much more he could last.

Nathan recalled the day he'd first met her. He'd been hesitant, to bring in an inexperienced woman only because she was a friend of his brother's, but he'd done so none the less. She was even younger than he'd expected, just twenty-two or twenty-three, barely out of school. He thought he'd been flattering himself by her apparent attraction to him, but it had turned out to be an honest one. Somehow, the twelve-year gap accounted for very little.

His thoughts turned to Brooke. How they'd met, both working as interns with the same lunch break. How their friendship had evolved. How they'd been so blissfully in love. Nathan wasn't one to lie to his past: they had been in love. Perhaps not as much as he loved Haley, but he'd loved Brooke truly for years. Part of him regretted that her child was not his. He wanted a child. It seemed as though he would never have Natalya as his daughter.

"Nathan?" came a voice. A deep male voice-not the one he was searching for.

"Luke?" said Nathan in response.

"Hey man," he said awkwardly. In a practiced gesture, they met in the middle of the room and shook hands.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"Uh, have you heard from Haley?"

"No, why, did you sleep with her too?" asked Nathan, pouring himself a glass of vodka.

"I'm sorry. I never meant for it to happen," said Lucas.

"So it was just the one time?" asked Nathan, raising his eyebrows. He knew the answer.

"She told me you guys were over."

"We were. We are. Is that all you came here to say?" asked Nathan.

"I do love her, Nate. It's not just sex," he said, looking down.

"Good to hear. Now get out," said Nathan.

"Get over it. You're not mad at me, you're mad at Haley. You're mad at airplanes. You're mad at the world, but you're sure as hell not mad at me. I'm some ways, you're grateful. If you were the one with the one year old and Brooke was an innocent, you'd be an asshole. Now you're the victim. You don't love Brooke, you haven't for years, you want her to be happy. You're full of crap," said Lucas. Nathan stared at him for a long time.

"You slept with my wife. If you didn't know I was with Haley, you sure as hell suspected it and you went with her anyway. While, may I say, you were still supposedly in love with Brooke. There was no way Haley could have gotten out of that without a broken heart," raged Nathan.

"Broken hearts? You know it's fairly easy to get a broken heart when the man you're sleeping with ignores you completely and then finally makes you fall in love with him, swears to be with you and then abandons you again for his wife," snarled Lucas.

"I never would have had to break my vow to Haley if you hadn't knocked up my wife!" yelled Nathan, thumping his glass down so hard on the bar that it smashed to pieces.

"Vow to Haley? What about your vow to Brooke? Did you even think of her when you were banging Haley on your desk every day for two years?" demanded Lucas. The inevitable came: Nathan's fist swung out and came into contact with Lucas's face. Lucas put his own hand up to his face to stop the bleeding, but didn't retaliate.

"It wasn't banging. I'm in love with Haley. I'm in love with our daughter. And the next time Brooke pours out her sob story, ask about the doorman and the handyman. She'll know what you're talking about," said Nathan.

"Brooke was unfaithful?" asked Lucas after an awkward, embarrassed pause.

"You mean, besides with you? Yeah. Fairly frequently," said Nathan.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" asked Lucas.

"Because I loved her, and I didn't want anyone to think less of her. You should go," said Nathan coolly.

Nathan's phone rang as Lucas turned to go. Staring at his brother's back, he answered it.

"Nathan? Is Lucas there?" asked Brooke. Their ten years together had made Nathan able to recognize the panic evident in her voice. For a moment, their past fell away as his concern took over.

"Brooke? What's wrong?" he asked nervously. Lucas spun around and stared intently at his brother.

"I think I'm in labour," she said.

"You're only eight months along," said Nathan worriedly.

"Oh, I know, Nate. Trust me, I know," she said.

Nathan hung up the phone and turned to his brother.

"We have to get down to the hospital. _Now,_" he demanded.

2


	17. All That You Want

Chapter Seventeen: All That You Want

The brothers raced down to the street and flagged down a cab, immediately directing it toward the hospital that Brooke had said she was going to. Though they had tension between them, all was forgotten for the time being and they became partners against evil.

Or, at least the danger Brooke was in.

It became evident fairly early that Brooke truly was in danger.

"I'm looking for Brooke Scott. She's in labour, and I'm the father," said Luke urgently to the woman at the front desk.

"Scott…. Scott… Oh, maternity ward. Fourth floor. But you can't go in," she said, reading from the screen in front of her.

"What? It's my baby!" he all but yelled.

"That may be so, but no one can go in. She's scheduled for a cesarean in twenty minutes," she recited.

"What? Why? Why can't she just have it… naturally?" asked Nathan awkwardly, cutting in.

"She was having problems. She's not strong enough, or something. And anyway, isn't he the father?" asked the nurse tiredly, nodding toward Lucas.

"Yeah, but I'm her husband. Can we wait, so we can get updates?" asked Nathan. The nurse raised her eyebrows, but indicated toward a grouping of chairs.

"How can this be happening? She was fine at the last checkup," said Lucas.

"I know. Don't worry, she'll be fine. She's not too old," said Nathan.

"Of course not. I mean, thirty-five isn't too old, right? And what about my kid? All sorts of things can happen. Sometimes when babies come early their respiratory systems aren't fully developed and they have to be hooked up to all these machines and it's hard for them to make it. I need him to make it," said Luke.

"Him?"

"Yeah. We're going to call him Damian. He's going to be a star basketball player and good with the ladies, and with my hair and her dimples and my height," explained Lucas.

"Wow. Dude, she's seriously going to be fine," pressed Nathan.

"We don't know that, Nathan. There's no way of knowing that. There's nothing we can do. We just have to wait for the doctors to do their thing and hope that they do it right," said Lucas.

"They know what they're doing," reassured Nathan.

"It's pretty crazy that about an hour ago you were ready to punch my lights out and know you're assuring me that she's going to be fine and we're going to live happily ever after," said Lucas, laughing dryly.

"Yeah. Remember that time a few months back when we all had dinner with Mom and Dad? Damn, that was awkward," said Nathan, in desperate attempt to get his brother's mind of the inevitable.

"Yeah. When you guys went off to the bathroom-did you..?" asked Lucas cautiously.

"No. I was trying to be a good husband. And she wasn't going for it," admitted Nathan.

"I miss her," said Lucas.

Nathan stared ahead for a moment, picturing Haley. Her long blonde hair, her beautiful, trusting brown eyes, the way she lovingly held their child on her hip.

"I do too," he said stonily, refusing to say anything more.

They sat in silence for an hour before a nurse approached them. Lucas leapt up from his seat and Nathan quickly followed them.

"A boy," she announced. Lucas sighed in relief. "Healthy."

"Thank God. Can I see him?" he asked anxiously. She nodded briefly and beckoned for Lucas to follow. Nathan smiled after them, almost as relieved as his brother for a moment before he realized that the nurse had said nothing at all about the child's mother.

_Author's note: I know these chapters have been short. That will change soon, and they will revert back to the normal length. Next chapter is **someone elses** POV._


	18. Change the Past

Chapter Eighteen: Change The Past

"Hey, the man at table eight would like another cup of coffee," said another waitress.

Haley didn't enjoy her now job. It was full of demands, spills on her clothing, fake smiles and bad smells. However, it paid enough for Nati to go to daycare and to keep them both in a small but nice apartment.

The man leered at her while she poured him his coffee. This was another problem: she was attractive and only twenty-four, and hardly lacking in opportunities. But Nathan had ruined it for her. She couldn't look at a man without thinking of him. To her, the chain around her neck was like a branding on her skin, one which she wished she didn't want but couldn't bear to take off.

Anticipation ran through her body as her cell phone vibrated at her hip. The name that flashed on the screen revealed it to be Taylor. Haley wished she could talk to Taylor or Peyton or even Lucas, tell them everything. But she couldn't. They'd tell Nathan. And she couldn't trust him again. He'd failed her once. It had been more than enough.

She walked along the beach when she went home that night. It was one of the perks of her sudden move to California-it was always warm, and it was always beautiful.

"Mama!" cried a baby's voice from inside the door. Haley hurriedly unlocked it and braced herself as her daughter came running.

She deftly scooped Nati up into her arms and hugged her tightly, her cheek against Nati's soft one. She remembered the small baby she'd been only months ago, lying all day on the rug or in her crib.

"Hey Carrie. How was she?" asked Haley, greeting her daughter's babysitter.

"Good. Your phone was ringing a lot," said Carrie. She was under strict instructions to never answer the phone.

"Thanks, I'll look into that," said Haley. She paid the babysitter and sent her on her way.

Haley was relieved when Nati began to yawn and she could put her to bed. Every day Nati seemed to remind Haley of her father more. In everything from her smile to her eyes, she made Haley's heart ache every day.

Remembering the babysitter's reminder, Haley went to the phone and checked the callers. The same number had called seven times in the space of four hours. The number was familiar-it was her own. The number of the apartment she'd shared with her two best friends. Someone was on to her. How was that remotely possible? It had been six months, and she'd been careful at every step not to drop clues. She'd paid for her airfare with cash. After the plane had landed in LA, she'd taken a bus for hours so no one could follow her. She hadn't so much as emailed anyone from her old life.

The next morning started of as all mornings did. Haley got up Natalya, made them their breakfasts while the baby played with her toys. Eventually Haley strapped her daughter into her highchair, made herself some coffee and sat down with it and her newspaper.

"Mama?" asked the baby in confusion, as Haley spat out a whole mouthful of her coffee. Haley coughed several times to regain her breath as she stared down at the paper.

_Announcement of Birth_

_Damian Davis Scott, born on June 21st 2005 to Mr. And Mrs. Nathan Scott, 6 pounds eight ounces. First child of Nathan Scott, CEO of Scott Athletic Agency (SAA) and his wife, Brooke. Welcomed by grandparents Karen and Dan Scott, Uncle Lucas Scott and various friends and relations throughout the country. _

Haley's heart thudded when she saw the announcement. It was really over. Nathan really had another child now. Before the official birth of Damian, it could always be hoped that it was somehow a fluke and could make Nathan magically come back to her. Now it never could. He was bound to someone else. Two people who would eternally shape his life, for better or for worse.

Natalya, unused to being completely ignored, began to sob loudly. Immediately she struck Haley out of her reverie. She ran to her daughter, took her out of her highchair and held her tightly.

"Shh, baby. It's okay. It's alright now. You have a little brother, you know? Yeah. Yeah. But your Daddy loves you too, remember? Shh, it's okay," soothed Haley. Her heart aching, she bent to pick up Natalya's favoured comfort: the stuffed dinosaur she'd received from her father. Back in the days that now seemed so easy-the days in which Haley hadn't admitted her love, Nathan and her having sex daily. The days she would kill to have back, so she could have changed her future, to a future free of heartache. But in the end, she knew nothing could have prevented this. There was no way an affair with a married man could turn into a marriage, or even eternal love. Real life didn't, and never would, work like that.

In the long years that followed, Haley never could decide if it was a good thing that her gaze hadn't stayed on the newspaper a moment longer to notice the first name on the death's column.


	19. The World Without Her

Chapter Nineteen: The World Without Her

Nathan stared blankly ahead. He hadn't seen Lucas since the birth of Damian, since the doctor had come out and announced that despite their best efforts, Brooke Penelope Scott had died of complications during her labour.

He didn't want to see his brother. He couldn't deal with it. First, Nathan had to deal with his own emotions.

The overriding one was guilt. He felt as though Brooke had wasted most of her adult life with him. When he'd met her she'd been independent, outgoing, original. He felt as though he'd squashed the life out of her, leaving her a shell of the woman she'd been.

His grief was immense. Despite having fallen out of love with Brooke, he still loved her. Loved her as a woman that he'd lived with for ten years, for better or for worse. The thought of her gone forever made it hard for him to imagine his life in the future.

Somehow his footsteps led him to the nursery, and to Damian Davis Scott. With trembling, inexperienced hands, he brought his nephew into his arms. The sleeping child had a fine dusting of dark hair and reddish skin for the labour. He was in an oversized blue sleeper with a small hat on his head.

Nathan received a slight shock when he realized how differently things could have turned out. If Brooke hadn't gone to Haley's apartment that day, Brooke never would have admitted the true paternity of her child. Haley never would have run. If Brooke had stayed home that day, this child would have been his.

Damian and Nathan strolled through the floor. They paused in front of one door. Through it, he could hear harsh, labored breathing. Somehow he knew his wife had died in the room.

"Excuse me?" he said politely to a passing nurse. She stopped. "A woman died in here this morning. Were you there?"

"Yes. You're Lucas Scott?" she asked.

"No, I'm his brother," said Nathan.

"She said to pass on her love to Lucas, and her apologies to you. She requested that you be godfather to her son, Damian," said the nurse. For one of the first times in years, Nathan had to hold back tears.

"Thank you. I'm sure you did all you could," he said. The nurse nodded before moving on.

He stepped into the door and stared at the sight that greeted him. Brooke was still lying on the bed, wearing a hospital gown. Her face had been cleaned, and her hair lay about her head on the pillow. Her eyes were closed. She looked infinitely peaceful. Exactly as she had looked when she was alive, but completely different.

Lucas sat by her bed, gently holding her right hand, staring at her face, so beautiful even in death.

"I'll love you forever," he promised. Nathan saw a tear drip down his tanned cheek.

Lucas continued to stare at Brooke. Nathan wondered how he ever could have missed his love for her. It was so blatant. Or maybe he hadn't missed it-perhaps he'd forced himself not to notice it?

What hadn't been remotely blatant was Brooke's love for her brother-in-law. He'd begun to suspect that it had always been there, ever since the first time they'd met eyes, when Nathan had introduced his brother to his new girlfriend. But then why had Brooke stayed with him? Even then, both of them had had promising careers, good opportunities. None of it made sense. None of it ever would.

As Damian moaned slightly in his sleep, Lucas looked up and finally noticed his big brother.

"Hey. How are you supposed to live without the love of your life?" asked Lucas. Bitterly, Nathan thought of how he'd receive the line at any other time.

"I'm still trying to figure it out," he said.

"And I was so sure it would all be okay. They took me to the nursery, they let me hold him, and then I think to ask about Brooke and they said she hadn't made it. After all my hopes were up," lamented Lucas.

"I know. The nurse outside said to say that her last words were to say she loved you," said Nathan.

"And she never got to be my wife. Now she's dead, and she's still your wife," continued Lucas. Nathan wondered if he'd heard his words.

"I know this doesn't help much, but a year ago you were in love with her but you could never say so. Isn't it good, that you had at least that time with her?" asked Nathan.

"It wasn't enough. I don't think any time would have been enough. She was an incredible woman," said Lucas. Nathan remembered the Brooke she'd been so many years ago.

"Yeah. She was. Look, at least you've got him," said Nathan, holding his nephew out to Lucas. He took him.

"That's true. He's perfect. And you know they messed up the announcement? The newspaper said that he's your son. And he looks like it, too," said Lucas bitterly. He touched Brooke's hand again.

"You know he's not. We both know he's not. We'll contact the paper later, if you want," suggested Nathan.

"It doesn't matter. It's just what the world outside thinks, and I don't care that much anymore," said Lucas.

"You're right. Buddy… it's going to be okay," he said at length. Lucas looked up at him.

"How can you say that? How can anything ever be alright again?" he said. Nathan's eyes shifted to Brooke lying on the bed, and he was forced to agree with him.


	20. Life Will Go On

Chapter Twenty: Life Will Go On

_Author's note: I just realized I messed up-I forgot to upload one of the chapters. It's the one before the one I last posted. So go read chapter eighteen, Change the Past, before you read this one. Sorry about that! Because of the mix-up, I'll post a spoiler at the end._

The large crowd was silent as Brooke Scott was lowered into the ground into her oak wood casket, her name and date of birth engraved in gold.

Nathan stared at his brother. Lucas was carrying his son lovingly in his arms, but had a look in his face that made Nathan worried he was liable to throw himself into the ground with her.

Everyone seemed completely disbelieving. This was Brooke Scott, the highest of Manhattan society, one of the richest women. Only thirty-five. _Dead._ After giving birth to her husband's brother's baby. What a year it had been.

Among the gossiping crowd, there were true mourners. Karen, for one. Brooke's friends from her childhood in New Jersey. Nathan, of course. Lucas.

Most eyes were on Lucas, clutching his son, but Karen's eyes for once were on her eldest son in deep concern for him.

When the crowd arrived back at Nathan's apartment for the reception, Karen sought out her son, sitting alone in his bedroom.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Like the worst person alive," he admitted. Karen laughed gently as she moved to sit on a chair opposite his bed.

"You're not. In the past year, she's loved profoundly," said Karen.

"I'm the only thing that stopped her from that love. For ten years," he said.

"I'm sure they weren't wasted," consoled Karen.

"They were. We never should have gotten married. She cheated on me, I cheated on her…"

Karen Scott thought higher of her son Lucas that anyone else in the world, but she was also of the conviction that Nathan deserved canonization.

"You cheated on Brooke? With who?" demanded Karen. Nathan cringed. He felt guilty, discussing this at his wife's funeral, but it was time his parents knew.

"Remember Haley, Luke's date? She's the mother of my child," he said. Karen's expression softened. Somehow she recognized how deeply Nathan had loved his mistress, and how much he wanted her back.

"I have another grandchild?"

"Natalya Merryn James. I didn't even know she was my daughter until after she was gone. I promised Haley Brooke and I would divorce so we could be together, then Brooke told me she was pregnant so I couldn't. But by the time I knew it was Lucas', Haley knew I knew about her and Nati and she ran off. She's in California," said Nathan bitterly.

"I'm sorry. You really love her?" asked Karen. Nathan looked away.

"More than I ever thought possible. Just before I found out about Brooke we really got to know each other, and I got to know Natalya. If my whole life could be like that month, I think I could always be happy," he said.

"I wish you could have it. Really I do, despite what I feel about Brooke. Your father will be tickled. He liked the girl," said Karen. Nathan nodded, once again lost in his own world.

"And he won't even have to feel remorse. Lucky guy," said Nathan coldly.

"Your father isn't a bad person. He just doesn't know how to express himself very well," said Karen carefully.

"That's crap. He made Brooke feel inferior for ten years," said Nathan.

"Parents never believe that anyone is good enough for their children," interjected Karen.

"She was, though, she was. What if she really was the person I was supposed to be with? What if she was my soul mate, and now she's gone?" asked Nathan.

"Brooke is a beautiful, talented woman. But you've spent months pining for Haley. I think this is your grief talking," suggested Karen.

"Look at this, Mom. I've been carrying it around for ten years. She looked so beautiful. I looked so happy," said Nathan. Karen looked across at the picture in his wallet-Brooke was wearing a Vera Wang dress, her hair was up. She was looking ahead at the camera, her arms were around her new husband's neck. Nathan's eyes were on her. His arms were around her waist, pulling her close.

"Nathan, look at this," she said. She flipped back the picture to reveal one of Haley, Natalya on her hip. Nathan's eyes widened as he stared down at her, unable to take his eyes off.

"I keep wanting to hire someone to track her down, but it seems like such a mean thing to do," admitted Nathan.

"It is. You should wait for her to come to you."

"What if she never does?"

The question hung in the air for a moment. Karen wished desperately that she could guarantee her son that she would come back. But she couldn't. No one could.

"How could she not? She loves you," said Karen gently.

"She's thousands of miles away. She could be with anyone by now. Someone who isn't married, who could help support Natalya…"

"Don't. Do not do this to yourself. It won't help at all. Come on, we have to get back out there," said Karen, leading her son to the door and back out to the reception.

The two of them walked back into the main room. Lucas was standing by himself, shaking the hands of many curious well-wishers.

Nathan walked over to join his brother. Instantly the crowd warmed up to him, focusing their attentions on him again. He only lasted fifteen minutes of this before he and Lucas left again to be in the more private family room of the large apartment.

Lucas dropped onto an armchair and began to examine the contents of the table near him. He stopped when he encountered a small velvet box, and picked it up. Flicking it open, a diamond was revealed-a large, clear, beautiful one on a gold band. So completely different from Brooke's emerald.

"What's this?" asked Lucas. Nathan reached forward and took it from him.

"I bought it for Haley. I was in serious denial," he admitted.

"You were going to ask her to marry you?" asked Lucas in surprise.

"Yeah. As soon as she got back. Ever wonder why I bought such a big place?" Nathan looked around his new home. It was a penthouse, giving a spectacular view of the park and much of the city. Lucas nodded.

"I have to get a nanny," he said suddenly.

"Oh. By the way Haley's roommate, Peyton, came by the office the other day hoping to get a job. I didn't have one for her, but she's a good person," suggested Nathan.

"Peyton Sawyer? Yeah, she's cool. I'll call her. See if she has any experience in childcare," said Lucas. Nathan had felt awkward, meeting his lover's roommate. She'd obviously been awkward too, desperate for a job. She'd even run into one of her ex-boyfriends at the office, brown haired man Nathan couldn't name.

"How's the guy doing?" asked Nathan.

"Just great. He never had to see the world the way it was," said Lucas.

_Spoiler: Don't expect Haley back anytime soon-if ever._


	21. Gone From You

Chapter Twenty-One: Gone From You

Lucas cringed as the buzzing sound rang through his apartment. He had his hands full-Damian was screaming his lungs out, apparently having forgotten what a good baby he'd been in the first weeks of his life.

Without pausing to see who it was, Lucas buzzed whomever it was up into his apartment.

"Uh, Luke? Do you need a hand?" asked Peyton, entering the apartment and seeing him struggle with his son.

"Could you? Thanks, I have to get him something to eat," said Lucas distractedly. He hurriedly placed Damian in Peyton's arms.

Peyton soothed Damian while Lucas ran off, jiggling him slightly in her arms. The knack she'd gained with her goddaughter came back easily to her, and soon Damian's yells had ceased and he was resting peacefully in her arms.

Lucas raised his eyebrows when he arrived back in the room to his silent son.

"Wow. How the hell did you do that?" he asked. She laughed.

"You'll get used to it. Natalya taught me a lot," explained Peyton. She blushed when she remember Lucas' connection to her.

"I'm sure she did. So, I'm looking for a nanny to take care of him basically all day, make him lunch and dinner, put him down for naps and stuff," said Lucas.

"I can do all that. Taylor, Haley and I all took shifts taking care of Nati," said Peyton.

"Is… Natalya the only baby you've ever taken care of?" asked Lucas.

"No. I babysat constantly when I was a teenager, I was a mother's helper during the summer I was fifteen, and just after I graduated college I looked after a family of kids for about six months," said Peyton.

"Wow. What made you want to apply for this job?" asked Lucas.

"Well, really I want to be an artist but it's pretty damn hard to get buy doing so, so I'm trying a different approach. And I've always like kids, so I thought this was the best thing for right now," she said.

"Sounds good. If you don't mind my asking, how old are you Peyton?"

"I'm twenty-seven," she told him.

"Oh. I thought you were younger, Haley's age," he said.

"Thanks. Haley and I met in college, when she was a sophomore and I was a senior," explained Peyton.

"I realize this is slightly inappropriate, but have you heard from her?"

Peyton stared sadly at him. More than she'd have ever though possible, she missed Haley. She'd grown accustomed to her. She was having trouble imagining life without her.

"Not a word. Taylor found a number and she thought it was Haley's, but she called it like seven times and nothing happened so we figure it was a fluke," added Peyton.

"That sucks. Nathan misses her like crazy," said Lucas.

"I wish she'd stayed just ten minutes later, he could have told her everything. Oh, he's nodded off. I'll just go put him to bed," said Peyton.

Lucas followed Peyton as she went down the hall to his son's bedroom. He smiled as she efficiently set him down in the bassinet and smoothed a blanket over top of him.

"So, I'm going to hire you," said Lucas suddenly. Peyton laughed again and immediately felt guilty, having remembered Brooke.

"Obviously. But you have no idea as to how to go around it, do you?" she wondered.

"No freakin' clue. Hiring help was always Nathan's style. So, Monday to Friday, eight to seven, however much you want," said Lucas.

"Sounds good. I'll think about it," she promised.

"You do that," he said, smiling. Suddenly she was terrified they'd entered into flirting territory.

"I'm sorry about Mrs. Scott," she said softly. Instantly his mood darkened.

"Thank you. When do you want to start?" he asked, his cheerful mood having vanished.

"I can start as soon as possible," she said eagerly. She'd been fired from her job months back, and had had to support herself on her meager artist salary, from selling her comics and working for magazines.

"How about next week?" he suggested.

"That's great. Thank you for seeing me," she said.

"Yeah, thanks for coming in. When you come next I'll show you where everything is," said Lucas.

"Okay. Bye Luke," she said, wondering quickly if she should be calling her employer 'Mr. Scott'.

Lucas stared after her as she left. He'd known her for years. He'd always known she was attracted to him, and had always been vaguely attracted to her, his desire for her only marred by her age and his feeling for Brooke. He still felt attracted to her. Now all he could feel was guilt, his fiancée having died only two and a half months previously.

Peyton slowly made her way home on the subway. She'd gone to Lucas' first and foremost because she'd needed a job, praying that her attraction to him had faded. She'd been unlucky. Somehow it had blossomed. And the timing could not have been worse-Brooke Scott had just died. He was now a father. He'd never been further away from her. Peyton knew she wanted him, but a stronger force inside of her quenched the side of her that desired him, reminding herself that he loved someone else. That his lingering glances meant nothing, would never mean anything.

"Hey. How was your interview?" asked Taylor when she arrived home. In the past months, Taylor had become somewhat subdued.

"Great. I got the job," said Peyton shortly.

"How's he doing?" asked Taylor. Peyton looked carefully at her roommate, amazed at her genuine concern. The lack of Nati and Haley made Taylor a completely different woman.

"Good. He misses her too," said Peyton. They met eyes for a moment and silently mourned their loss. Peyton went off to her bedroom and remembered, with slight grief, the Taylor that would have teased her about her 'interview' with Lucas. She wasn't the right Taylor any more.


	22. A Birthday, A Stranger, and A Phonecall

Chapter Twenty-Two: A Birthday and a Mysterious Phonecall

"Happy Birthday dear Nati… Happy birthday to yoooou!" sang Haley. Nati laughed, obviously having no idea whatsoever of what the occasion was.

A bang sounded on the door. Haley would have called it simply a knock, but it was quite obvious that whoever it was had either kicked the door or slammed on it with his entire arm. She gave her daughter one of the cupcakes she'd made and hurried to answer the door.

"Could you keep it down? I'm trying to practice," said the man at the door before she had a chance to greet him. Haley looked him up and down: he was tall, skinny, and dressed like someone who didn't care what they looked like, and who'd been up all night.

"Sorry. Didn't realize your loser rock was so important that my daughter's first birthday should take second place," she shot back. He raised his eyebrows-obviously he wasn't used to being trifled with.

"Ouch. Your daughter?" he asked. He pushed past Haley into her apartment.

"Excuse me..!" exclaimed Haley as he carefully lifted Natalya out of her highchair, chocolatey fingers and all.

Haley's mouth dropped open when Natalya settled into the stranger's arms and giggled. Natalya was never like that-it had taken months for her to warm up to even Peyton and Taylor, who'd been around since the day of her birth. Natalya had only ever warmed up so easily to one person.

Nathan.

"What's her name?" he asked. Haley raised an eyebrow, crossed her arms and leaned back against the couch.

"What's yours?" she challenged. He looked up and smiled a smile that was closer to a smirk. Haley tried desperately to hide her discomfort as his gaze fell to the cleavage hinted at with her white shirt.

"Tell me yours first," he commanded.

"You know you'd make more friends if you asked politely," she taunted.

"Possibly true. Now, your name?" he said again, softening his request. In spite of her self, Haley smiled.

"Haley Sara James. And yours?" she asked, zealously polite.

"If I tell you, will you tell me your daughter's?" he asked suspiciously. Haley allowed a laugh to escape her lips.

"Cross my heart. Come on," she said.

"Christopher Ian Keller, if we're in the mood to be formal. Call me Chris," he said.

"That's my daughter, Natalya Merryn Scott," she introduced.

"Good name. So you're the new kid on the block," he said slowly.

"I've lived here six months," she said, accompanied with a roll of her brown eyes. "Do you ever do out in daylight?"

"Bad for my eyes. Where are you from, Haley James?" he asked, carefully setting Natalya back down.

"I was born in North Carolina, I went to school in Manhattan, lived there a few years. What about you, Chris Keller?" she asked.

"Everywhere," he said simply.

Haley watched him as he looked around her apartment. He was an asshole, but one unlike any she'd ever met. He intrigued her, like a puzzle she hadn't yet solved.

When Natalya began to protest, Haley undid the buckles on her chair and let her down to the ground. On her unsturdy legs, she ran toward the living room.

Haley smiled after her, proud of how big she was getting. Natalya's blonde hair had begun to curl, and her rosebud mouth could smile a smile to bewitch anyone she met.

"She likes you," said Haley finally, looking toward her uninvited guest.

"Of course she does," said Chris, in a matter-of-fact way.

"You're pretty high on yourself," said Haley, allowing herself to laugh again as she made for the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee.

"Shouldn't I be?"

Haley refrained from rolling her eyes at his latest remark, afraid it could turn into a flirtatious gesture that would give him the idea that she wanted to sleep with him. Many men had flirted with her since her arrival on the East Coast, but she'd never flirted back. The memory of Nathan was still too strong.

"Uh, do you want some coffee?" she asked eventually. He nodded. In her small kitchen, he looked completely out of proportion.

Natalya quickly got lonely and ran into the kitchen to join them, throwing her small body to Chris. He smiled and lifted her up again.

"Do you have a job?" he asked suddenly. She jerked her head up in surprise.

"What?"

"A job. You work, they give you money…"

"I'm a waitress at the café down the street," she managed to say.

"I like it there. Good muffins," he said.

"Not so good when they're all over your apron," she muttered.

"Not your dream job?"

"I used to be a secretary to a hotshot business man, but that wasn't so much fun either. I haven't exactly found my passion yet," she explained.

"Huh."

"That's all you have to say? I just told you a month's worth of things about myself and you say 'huh'?" she asked.

"Are you…" he began to say.

"Okay? I'm fine, I'm just not in the best place in my life," she said.

"Why not? You have your daughter, you have this place with an ocean view, you have a job…"

"I don't have a job I want, my daughter has to spend all day with strangers and I miss everyone," she said, dropping onto a chair. She was amazed at how much she'd just told Chris Keller, the man she'd barely even met.

"Who's everyone?" he asked.

"My friends. Back in the City, I roomed with my best friend Peyton, who I met in college and my big sister, Taylor. I think you'd like Taylor. She's a little bit insane, and everyone was amazed when she stayed there for a whole year. She's like that. Like Kirsten's sister on the OC, you know? And my other best friend Lucas. But I haven't gotten the chance to talk to him lately because he slept with my lover's wife and impregnated her and then dated me briefly before I ran away, so…" said Haley.

"That's… a lot," he said at last. His ears perked slightly at 'lover' but he didn't say anything to her.

"Yeah, a regular soap opera. But it's cooling down now," she said, the happiness in her voice obviously staged.

"Good. If that's what you're in to, I mean," he said.

Haley began to depart for the bathroom, but the phone made her stop in her tracks. Looking back, she saw Chris hesitantly go toward the phone, giving her a questioning glance. She nodded, and was in the bathroom before she could hear him speak.

"Haley? Is that you?" demanded a voice immediately. A male voice.

"Who's this?" asked Chris coolly.

"Nathan Scott. Who's _this_?" he demanded.

"Chris Keller, and I live here. I think you've got the wrong number," he said. He could hear the other end of the phone pause for a moment.

"Sorry to waste your time," said Nathan before hanging up.

_Author's note: Sorry this took so long, I was having computer problems on the computer I wrote this on so I couldn't upload it. But now I can. So if you haven't, go read 'Life and Cherry Tomatoes' which is the more definite end to my original trilogy. Major Callie and Sawyer._


	23. Where Destiny Takes Us

Chapter Twenty-Three: Where Destiny Takes Us

_Haley and Nathan walked back into their enormous penthouse apartment, arms around each other. _

_"Are the kids in bed?" he asked her._

_"They'd better be," she said, moving towards him. _

_About to meet, they were interrupted by the polite cough of the girl they'd hired to baby-sit. Blushing, Haley walked over to her, paid her for babysitting their two children and showed her to the door._

_As soon as it was closed, Nathan walked up to Haley from behind and pushed the spaghetti straps of her long black dress off her shoulders. She shuddered as the feel of his warm hands on her smooth skin overwhelmed her._

_She swiveled around to face him and slung her arms around his neck. Without the energy or the patience to make it to the bedroom, they fell onto the sofa, kissing and touching wildly. _

_Nathan stared as Haley slid out from under him and stood. Her eyes fastened on his, she found the zipper of her form fitting evening dress, undid it and let the silky fabric sink to the ground, revealing a lacy strapless bra and a matching g-string. Nathan pulled her back on top him, kissing even more feverishly than before. _

_For once they were uninterrupted as they shed their clothes and passionately made love, pleasuring each other in turn._

Nathan awoke sharply and sat up. Haley was haunting his dreams. She'd been gone nearly two years, and still she was plaguing him.

The phone rang beside him, but he rolled over and tried to sleep. In the years that followed, he and his brother would secretly ponder endlessly what would have happened had Nathan answered that phone.

* * *

"Hello?" said Peyton Sawyer drearily into the phone at almost the same moment.

"Peyton? Peyton, is that you?" said an anxious, rushed voice into the phone.

"Luke? Is that you?" she asked, waking slightly from her sleep.

"It's Damian. He has a fever," blurted out Luke. Peyton, instantly alert, swung her legs over the side of her bed.

"Luke, calm down. I'll be right over," she said, soothing him as she ran to her closet and searched for something to throw on.

Peyton jumped in a cab, deciding she didn't care how much it would cost her to go all the way to Lucas's luxurious apartment. She paid the cab driver when they arrived, and leapt out.

"Luke? Damian?" she yelled out as soon as she entered his apartment. She ran toward his bedroom, where she could hear Damian screaming.

It was like a scene from a horror movie. Damian was screaming his lungs out, writhing in his father's protective arms. Most of his possessions were scattered about the usually immaculate room. His sheets were drenched in his sweat.

"Luke!" screamed Peyton. At last he heard her, and looked up with his panic filled blue eyes. Peyton took the baby (Damian had recently turned 18 months, and was no longer truly an infant) from him and held him tightly. The familiar feel of her seemed to comfort him immensely, but still he screamed. His body was red and burning with heat.

"Luke, go get me a wet hand towel, his thermometer and some child advil. He's going to be fine," she assured him. Luke hesitated, but went.

Peyton put a sleep on him over his diaper, knowing that he would experience hot and cold flashes in his fever, and put him back in the crib. Lucas came running back and she sponged his forehead with the wet cloth, and eventually the rest of his face before relocating it to rest on his forehead. She placed the thermometer in his ear and waited a few seconds before it beeped and she pulled it out again.

"101 degrees. That's not so bad," she said. She looked at Lucas, who had leaned over her shoulder with panicked eyes. "Seriously, babies have high temperatures all the time. If he's still sick in the morning we'll call his doctor," she assured him.

Luke and Peyton did stay awake for many hours, soothing, temperature testing, advil feeding and soaking the forehead of Damian Scott, but eventually his fever broke and he finally feel peacefully asleep. Peyton led the dazed Lucas into his own kitchen and practically force fed him a cup of coffee.

"That was intense," he said at last.

"It happens, with little kids," she said. She looked up at him and in a terrified moment she realized he looked close to tears. She went forward and cautiously put her arms around him. She was unprepared when he flung his own around her and held her tightly.

"He's all I have left. All I have left of Brooke. I can't lose him," he said.

"You won't. He's healthy. He's a great kid," said Peyton. Peyton felt guilty-her heart went out to Lucas and his suffering, but she enjoyed the feel of the strong man pressed up against her.

"Thanks, Pey," he said. Peyton reflected on how she'd always hated it when people had called her 'Pey' and Peyt'. But with him, oddly enough, she didn't mind it.

She gasped as she felt his member stiffen against her. Her desire of him had never waned, but she'd never so much as touched him. She understood the barrier between them.

Pulling away from him, she looked him directly in the eye. Somehow under the harsh kitchen lights, in the early hours of the morning, they had seen each other in a new light.

Lucas began to lean down and before Peyton could consider it, he had kissed her and she had let his tongue slid into her mouth and caress hers.

Not allowing herself to think, Peyton clung to Luke while he lifted her and she wrapped her long, slim legs around his waist and let him carry her to his bedroom.

He placed her on his bed and was immediately atop her again. He kissed her lips before sliding his mouth down to her neck, sucking and kissing. His lips traveled further down her body. She clung to the bedposts as he reached her area and began to pleasure her so much she felt like she could hardly stand it.

After she came, he went back astride her and entered her slowly and sensually.

"That was probably a bad idea," said Peyton eventually, still exhausted from the intensity of it.

"How so?" he asked, looking at her, admiring her beauty for a moment.

"Your wife just died," she moaned.

"It was two years ago. And I loved Brooke with all my heart. She was one of the great loves of my life. But we get two, right?" he asked gently.

"She's the mother of your child…" began Peyton.

"Brooke gave birth to my son. But you've been his mother for years, and she'd be forever grateful to you for that," said Lucas.

"You don't feel bad, convincing another woman to be with you?" she asked.

"Before Brooke… died, we talked about it. She was afraid of dying giving birth to him. The doctors warned us there was a fear of it. I didn't want to talk about it, I insisted that she'd be fine, but she insisted harder. She wanted me to raise our baby and she wanted me to love. She didn't want me to be alone, I guess," said Lucas.

"That's incredible. I wish I'd known her," said Peyton. Lucas smiled.

"I think you guys would have been friends," he said, leaning forward and kissing the tip of her nose.

* * *

_Author's note: Usually at this point, I would announce the next subject of my next story. Because Broken Alliances is almost over. However, that is not the case in this instance. I am taking a hiatus. After Broken Alliances finishes, I will not write a OTH story until probably after the new season starts here. As always, thank you for your support._


	24. Time Passes by Without You

Chapter Twenty-Four: Time Goes by Without You

Though I forgot to say so before, chapter twenty-three is dedicated to lysser8312, who has been on my case about it for ages. With love, of course.

"Thank you for coming in to see me today, Miss James. I'm going to check out your references, but I think we can safely say the job is yours," said Edward Bentley warmly. Haley smiled. The job she was being interviewed for was similar to the one she'd had in New York, but she was tired of waitressing and it's miniscule wage.

"Thank you Mr. Bentley," she said sweetly, shaking his hand before escaping from his office.

Haley walked home along the beach, staring into the water. After two years, she'd grown used to California, and how different it was from all her other homes. Nati was happy there. Haley was almost even happy there.

She rode up the elevator and into her apartment, grinning as her daughter heard the door open and threw herself at her legs.

"Mommy you're back!" she yelled joyfully.

"Yes, sweetie, I'm back. Did you have a good time with Chris?" she asked.

"No," said Natalya sweetly, easily betraying one of the people she loved most.

"She's totally lying. I didn't even make her have a nap," claimed Chris, coming out of the kitchen.

"Last time I let you look after my daughter," joked Haley, smiling at her friend.

"How'd the interview go?" he asked, dropping onto the sofa, stretching his long legs out in front of him and easily making himself at home.

"Good. I think I got it. I just feel like I'm moving backwards," she complained.

"Pay's good. You won't have to worry about spilling coffee on yourself," he reminded her.

"Nathan always wanted coffee, so that's not necessarily true," said Haley. Instantly she regretted it-Chris had very little tolerance when it came to Nathan. Haley went out of her way not to mention him.

"But this guy's not going to harass you, so I think you're better off," said Chris. Haley went to the kitchen to wash her hands, trying to hide her annoyance.

"It was what I wanted too," she whispered.

"Mommy!" yelled Nati, running in to the kitchen. "I want to go to the beach!"

"Keller we're going to the beach, you coming?" she called to him.

"Sure, why not?" he said, shrugging as she joined them in the kitchen. It always disconcerted Haley when he joined them at the beach.

The three of them headed out. Haley held a bag containing everything they needed, and in her other hand was Nati's, holding on to her tightly.

"Want to ride," she said suddenly, looking up at Chris.

"What do you say?" asked Haley quickly as Chris leaned down to pick her up.

"Please."

Chris took her by the waist and hoisted her onto his shoulders where she rode, much higher than anyone else in the crowd.

Sometimes Haley felt like Chris was too tall. He was more than a foot taller than her, and skinnier. It was ridiculous. Did the boy ever eat? She knew he did-he ate at her house at least several times a week.

Natalya, never a shy baby, waved to the people in the crowd admiring her, and made them laugh. They also noticed the beautiful young mother, and the seemingly doting father. Haley noticed too.

"_Maybe it's not such a bad second choice_," she said to herself. Chris had been a good friend to her for years.

They arrived at their traditional spot on the beach. Chris carefully set Nati down on the beach and she immediately set off to make a sandcastle on the wet sand while Haley, blushing, slipped off her shirt, revealing her bikini top.

Chris left to help Nati, but he took one glance back at Haley and couldn't help but stare. Her bikini wasn't inappropriate for someone of her age, or of her station, but it was still a bikini, and it would be impossible for Chris not to notice how attractive she looked in it.

His eyes widened when she closed her eyes to block out the sun and began spreading sun block on her exposed skin. At the sight of Haley running her hands over herself, smoothing out the lotion, Chris felt a fresh wave of desire for her as he stiffened.

By the time she'd opened her eyes again he'd managed to tear his eyes away and was helping Nati sculpt a castle with her beach toys. Haley smiled at the sight of him, the only one on the beach wearing blue jeans instead of swim trunks. She was glad-Chris was her best friend, but she didn't like the thought of him without a shirt on.

For the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to think about her old life. About Peyton and Jake, and whether or not they were engaged yet. On Nathan. Had their baby finally made Brooke and him happy together? Did he not mind so much anymore that she was gone? Did he ever think about Natalya, if he never thought about her? She even thought longingly of Taylor-the two had taken a long time to become friends, but they'd always been around each other. Always.

Haley hoped, privately, that Peyton and Jake weren't yet planning to get married. She didn't like the thought of missing her best friend's wedding. She was surprised when she remembered that Peyton would have aged as well-she'd be twenty-nine by now. Taylor would be thirty. Haley guessed that Taylor would hate being thirty. Did she still party all night? When Haley had left, Taylor had already been getting old for it in the viewpoints of some.

"MOMMY!" called out Natalya. Haley looked up in alarm, but smiled when she saw her daughter simply calling her over. She ran over to join them.

"_I think we're finally happy_," she thought to herself.


	25. Who We'd Be If We Had The Chance

Chapter Twenty-Five: Who We'd Be If We Had the Chance

_Author's note: The following cliffhanger is inspired mostly by pinkpony. And by 'Mean Girls'._

Nathan stared at the grouping of pictures on his desk. One was Lucas, Damian and Peyton, playing together at a park. A second one showed Brooke and him on their wedding day, looking young, beautiful and in love.

The third photograph stood by itself, away from the other two. It was partially obscured by a potted plant. When the mood took him, it was fully obscured. The picture was of a beautiful young woman, holding her daughter's hands, helping her to take a step. The baby was laughing. The woman was looking directly at the man who took the picture, smiling at him with love. Most days Nathan couldn't force himself to look at Haley with Nati.

He thought about Nati more and more. He pictured the baby he'd known, but he knew she must be older. Two and a half, almost three. She'd be talking, walking. She'd be able to feed herself and probably even dress herself. Did Haley manage okay, with whatever money she made? Did Natalya call another man Daddy?

Nathan jumped slightly in his seat when his secretary entered. She smiled at him. He had a new secretary, Janet. She was blonde, buxom, almost ridiculously attractive. She was every man's dream. But she wasn't his Haley.

"Mr. Scott, I have a Mr. Bentley on line four for you," she said. He nodded. She left, miffed that he hadn't properly acknowledged her.

"Mr. Scott!" boomed a voice through the phone.

"Mr. Bentley? What is this in reference to?" he asked impatiently.

"An interview I had the other day. A woman had you on her resume as a reference," continued Edward Bentley.

"Who? Allison Grey? She's a great worker, I can give her the highest recommendation," said Nathan.

"No, I have not interviewed Ms. Grey. This is a former secretary of yours-Miss, uh, Haley James," said Edward, glancing down at the form in front of him.

The phone slipped out of Nathan's hand and dropped heavily on to the floor. Nathan's eyes immediately darted toward the framed photograph and met Haley's eyes. It was a name no one had dared utter around him for two years. A name he'd said in his head a thousand times. A woman he'd longed for a thousand times over.

Edward Bentley clicked off his phone, annoyed by Mr. Scott's apparent indifference

Nathan gripped the photograph on his desk, glancing between his child and her mother before come to the sudden, inevitable conclusion.

Everyone in the office looked up when their boss, Nathan, charged into the hall and ran into his secretary's office, loosening his tie and shrugging off his jacket as he ran.

"Janet, where was that call from?" he demanded urgently. She looked up sharply in bewilderment, and he noticed she'd been painting her long, curved fingernails a deep red colour.

"Uh, the Edward Bentley one? Uh…" she reached for her phone and pressed a few buttons, accessing the callers list. "California. Long Beach California."

Nathan was out of her office before she could ask what he wanted, and had left the building before anyone knew where he was going. Without the time to call his own, chauffeured, car he hailed a taxi.

"JFK airport," he said hurriedly. The yellow taxi took off.

The ride was interminably long, but Nathan fired out of it as soon as they arrived, and ran in. Hurriedly he booked a first class ticket for San Diego California on a plane that was heading out in an hour.

By the time he was several hours into the long plane flight, he was running out of steam. He was faced with harsh realities. Haley had been gone for two years. She'd never written, called, emailed. She obviously wanted nothing to do with his old life. She obviously wanted nothing to do with him. But she didn't know-didn't know that Brooke had died years ago, died as the acknowledged love of Lucas Scott, giving birth to his son. Didn't know that he hadn't passed a day without thinking of her since the one she left in. Didn't know he'd do anything in the world to be with her and their daughter.

Nathan caught a bus after the plane finally landed and rode for several hours to Long Beach.

He picked up momentum when he arrived. She was so close now. He fancied that he could actually feel his presence, hear his daughter's laugh.

He ran down the long stretch of boardwalk toward her apartment building. He caught the door as a resident came out and ran in. Quickly locating the stairs, he sprinted up three flights before he arrived at her door.

Nathan hesitated for a moment. He still had yet to come to the terrifying, hopeless instance that her refusal would bring. She hadn't been so close to her in two years, he couldn't face the thought of leaving without her.

His heart rose as he heard the call of a child inside. With new resolve he knocked on the door.

Haley looked up in annoyance. She and Chris were alternately reading Natalya a Thomas the Train engine book. Nati was giggling and reciting the bits of it she knew. Haley didn't want to disrupt the happy family moment.

"Hell…" the word died on her lips before she could get the greeting out.

"Hales," he said. He stared at her for a moment. She looked the same. Her blonde hair had grown a few inches, her style was more relaxed than it had been, her eyes less bright, but she was the same. In a step he could have her in his arms, her lips on his.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice a whisper.

"Edward Bentley told me where you were when he called for a reference. I came to see you," said Nathan.

"What about Brooke?" asked Haley. The sight of Nathan in her doorway still seemed like an illusion to her. One she was not yet willing to give in to. She was a different girl than she'd been four years ago. One not willing to be a man's whore.

"Hales, Brooke died. Two years ago," said Nathan.

"I'm sorry," breathed Haley.

"The day you left, she went back to Lucas. Damian's his child, not mine. They were together until her end. She died happy. Peyton was hired by Lucas to take care of Damian and now they're together," he said. Without her response, he reached forward and tugged his heart necklace out of her high-necked shirt. She shivered at the familiar feel of his fingers on her skin.

"I couldn't take it off. So now…"

"Now it's you. Only you," he said. Willing himself to have courage, he reached forward and made to take her in his arms. Haley's heart rose as he took hold of her, and how close he was.

"Hey, you're Nathan?" came a familiar, arrogant voice. Both heads swiveled around to him.

"Chris, don't," warned Haley. Furious with him for interrupting everything she'd wanted for four years.

"Chris?" asked Nathan, his voice hollow. He dropped his hands from her hips. Haley's eyes widened in shock and a contradiction rose in her throat.

"Nathan Scott. You're the guy you said was the father?" asked Chris. Haley's confusion grew as he wrapped his arms around her neck.

"What are you..?" asked Haley. She looked as Nathan's face gradually darkened.

"Who are you?" asked Nathan, his voice speaking with hers.

"Chris Keller. I'm Nati's father," he said, taking one arm down from Haley's neck to stick it out to Nathan.

Nathan paused for exactly three seconds. He looked at the stunned, disbelieving look on Haley's face, misinterpreted it, looked at the victorious smirk on Chris' cocky face, and turned around. Walking, not running, he began to proceed back down the hall.

Haley began to run after him but Chris caught her arm. She turned, suddenly afraid of the man who'd been such a friend to her for so long.

"What the hell was that?" she demanded. He stared down at her for a moment, aware that he was losing her.

"I'm in love with you," he said. He was surprised at his own words. Chris Keller wasn't generally one to make sudden romantic announcements. Haley's look softened, and for a moment he had hope.

"Chris, you're my best friend. I just don't…" her words were halted when he scooped down and lightly kissed her. For a moment she considered giving in to him. But then Nathan came back into her head. His fervent words of love. The hurt look in his eyes.

"I have to go after him," she said. "Natalya!"

The toddler came running and Haley scooped her up into her arms. Haley looked into Chris' eyes for a moment longer, as if memorizing them, before awkwardly patting his shoulder and leaving at a run.

The street outside wasn't busy, but she couldn't see Nathan. A horrific thought occurred to her-if he'd gotten a cab, he could be miles away. Or at least yards.

Suddenly she saw him disappearing into the distance, his back to her. She began to run, awkwardly with Natalya on her hip. Behind her, she heard Chris call out her name. She ignored him, intent on her target.

Glancing in either direction, she sped across the street, hoping Chris was no longer following her. She was breathless as she caught up to him.

"Nathan… he's lying…" she said. Nathan stared down at her.

"I called once, two years ago. It was him that answered. He said you weren't around," said Nathan.

"It doesn't matter. Just look Nathan. How can this child possibly not be yours?" asked Haley, holding her up to him. Natalya giggled in surprise and reached out to touch Nathan's face, taken with him once again. Their eyes met-their identical blue eyes. In that moment, both Haley and Nathan knew.

Neither of them were looking at the road when Chris continued after Haley, hoping against hope for a second chance. His hope and desire blinded him: when a public transit bus rounded the corner onto the street, he didn't see it.

And it didn't see him, either.


	26. Right Back Where We Started From

Chapter Twenty-Six: Right Back Where We Started From

Natalya squirmed on Haley's hip, so she allowed her to slip down. Afraid of the bustling traffic she stuck close to her mother and looked curiously at the man she couldn't really remember.

Haley opened her mouth to speak again, but words were lost to her when Nathan's hands again fell to her hips, pulling her close to him. She opened her mouth involuntarily as their bodies melded together and he began to lower his head to meet hers.

The yells of the bus driver and the people on the street shook them out of their reverie. Haley's gaze darted to the bus, to the yelling citizens, and finally to Chris' body, sprawled across the road. She turned inward to Nathan again, hiding her face. His arms wound around her in sympathy, feeling for her despite his feelings for Chris.

She ran on the road, disregarding traffic completely. She dropped to her knees on the black pavement beside him, and shakily took one of his hands. His eyes were closed. But he was breathing. He was alive.

Nathan reached down and picked up his daughter, staring ahead at Haley. He was afraid again. She was obviously attached to this person. She'd fled from him to this man, who seemed to know everything about her. A man so obviously in love with her.

Natalya cried out in surprise as the whale of the siren sounded as an ambulance came into view, screeching down the street to come to halt beside Haley and Chris. Three paramedics jumped out. One checked Chris' pulse, the other two bundled him onto a stretcher and put him in the back of the ambulance. After a long glance at Nathan, Haley joined them.

Nathan stared as the ambulance drove off, it's siren squealing again. What was he supposed to do? He was holding their child, but she'd just disappeared again.

Haley stared as they wheeled Chris into the operating room. She now felt as though she'd spent the last two years with a complete stranger. One who'd secretly been in love with her. She'd noticed his covert glances at her cleavage, his constant presence in her home, but she'd interpreted it as honest friendship tinged with lust. Not undying love. Never undying love.

She felt guilty as her thoughts turned to Nathan. She still loved him. She still desired him. She still hoped for a happily ever after.

"Mama?" came Nati's experimental call. Haley whipped her head around to see Nathan walking toward her with Nati sitting confidently on his shoulders, where she'd ridden so often, only on a different man.

"How is he?" asked Nathan, his face stiff once again.

"Being operated on. Nathan, what were you saying, when you said you called?" she asked.

He sat down and gently placed Nati on the chair beside him. Exhausted, and disgruntled that she was being denied a nap at naptime, she defiantly placed her head on the arm rest and drifted off. Haley was glad-Nati didn't have a place in the scene she knew would follow.

"I found your number in information, a few months after you left. So I called you, and some guy picked up and I asked for you. And he paused for a second, and then he said his name was Chris Keller and he'd never heard of you," explained Nathan.

"So he's the reason we've had to wait so long?" asked Haley.

"Actually, the reason is because you left without a word. Why, Haley?" he asked. She paused, trying to collect her feelings. She forced herself to look bravely into his eyes.

"Because I was scared. I knew you could never be with me, and that being around you would hurt me and make me remember what I could never have, but would always want," she surmised.

"Why didn't you come back when you saw Damian's birth announcement?"

"It said he was your son! And I didn't look in the death's column," she explained.

"So basically a couple of quirks has kept us apart for two years?" he asked. She laughed, breaking the tension between them. He put his finger under her chin and gently tiled her face up to his.

"Nathan, before we do, I just want to hear…" she began.

"Right," he said quickly. Reaching into his pocket, he slipped off his chair and knelt. Taking her hand in his, he flicked open the box to reveal a diamond.

"Haley Sara James, will you marry me?" he asked. The other occupants of the waiting room looked on curiously, but he didn't notice.

"Not exactly what I was asking for, but…" she said, laughing again.

"What?" he asked worriedly.

"Nathan Scott, I love you," she said. He took both her hands and pulled her down to the ground with him.

"Haley, I have always loved you. And I've been a moron for years. Now, marry me?" he asked.

"Of course," she said. A tear leaked from her eye as he slipped the ring on her finger. She put her arms around his neck.

They'd already been interrupted many times, and Nathan wasn't willing to take chances. He leaned forward and kissed her gently. As she opened her mouth and responded, the kiss deepened and flourished. Their bodies, kept away from each other so long, melded together in the heat of desire, and of love. In their earliest days, their kisses had been rushed, passionate and empty. Now love and desire united and poured over them.

They pulled away at the same time, short of breath.

"What were you saying about Peyton and Luke?" asked Haley, giggling.

"Ridiculously together. Perfect little family," said Nathan. Haley sensed he'd been bitter. It was an easy thing to sense.

"Like us," said Haley. He kissed her again, relishing the feel of her soft, scented lips.

"Like us. Especially like us after a couple more," he said.

"Mm, at least. After we get married though," she said sternly.

"Whatever you want," he said.

"God, I can't believe I just got engaged when my best friend was in the ER," she said.

"It doesn't mean you'll change your mind?"

"Who knew you could be such a romantic? No, I won't change my mind. Ever," she promised.

"So do you want to come back?" he asked nervously.

"I don't have a place to live," she said.

"I bought an apartment. It's enormous," he said.

"Then let's get out of here," she said, standing.

"What about..?"

"Oh, Chris? Who lied to me and prevented me from knowing the truth for two years? Yeah, I really care. Let's go," she said. He was surprised at her speech, but wasn't one to counter it. He picked up the sleeping Nati and followed her out.

3


	27. The Ending We Deserve

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Ending We Deserve

_Author's note: So would any of you particularly object to a third generation story? You know you could witness the fifth part of a trilogy, the world in fifty years and the ACTUAL meaning of the acronym BJ (and what it DOESN'T mean.)_

Peyton Sawyer looked up in annoyance as the doorbell rang. Damian, almost two, was being a pain-demanding her constant attention while she was trying to make dinner for the three of them.

Taking him on her hip as she did so rarely, she went to answer the door. Her eyes went first to Nathan. She smiled, happy he was visiting but annoyed at his timing. It took a moment for her gaze to slip to Haley, standing beside him, Natalya on her own hip.

She shrieked handed Damian off to Nathan and threw her arms gleefully around her best friend. Lucas, who had been weight training, came running. He couldn't even see Haley, obstructed by the curly nest of Peyton's hair, but he had an inkling as to what was going on.

"Oh, she's so big!" said Peyton, smiling at her goddaughter. Haley, seeing Lucas behind her, passed Nati to Peyton and jumped at him. Laughing, he caught her around the waist and twirled her around.

Nathan came up behind them, and put his arm around Haley's waist when he finally set her down.

"Back off, bro. Get your own fiancée," he said. Peyton squealed again, surprising everyone. Two squeals in under a year where very unPeytonesque.

Haley happily flashed her ring. Peyton grabbed her hand and analyzed it for a moment.

"So, I heard you guys are doing more than babysitting," said Haley. Peyton blushed and put her head on Lucas' shoulder.

"You know _I _heard that Jake Jagielski has a new girlfriend," said Nathan.

"Who?" asked Peyton sharply, looking guiltily up at Lucas after she spoke. He kissed the top of her head.

"Uh… something Turner. Dark haired, a little older," said Nathan.

"Doesn't matter," said Peyton firmly, kissing Lucas. Damian squirmed on Nathan's hip and he let him down.

"I can't believe how much she's grown," said Peyton fondly.

"Oh, I have to go!" said Haley suddenly.

"Why?" asked Peyton and Nathan at the same time.

"Go see Taylor. Do you want to come?" she asked Peyton. Peyton nodded eagerly.

"Hell yes. Baby, take care of Damian, okay?" she asked. Luke nodded, and she kissed him lightly.

"Do you want me to watch…" Nathan paused. "Our daughter?"

Haley smiled at him, so relieved to hear his voice after so long, so relieved to finally know he loved her.

The two of them went uptown in a cab, talking eagerly and filling each other in on the details of the past four years.

Memories, good and bad, flooded to Haley as they turned down the corner of their street and began walking up the stairs to the apartment they'd lived in for years together.

Haley's hand hovered between the doorknocker and the doorknob, before she finally gently pushed the door open and entered the place she'd so long considered her home.

Tears welled up. It was the same. Exactly the same. Through the open door, she could see the dish filled sink. A blanket was thrown over the sofa, obviously evident of a spontaneous houseguest. The smell was a bewitching one of perfume, takeout and nail polish.

Haley moved toward Taylor's bedroom, pausing briefly at her own. She remembered waking up with Nathan, spooning with him, painting it with him. Nati's crib was still in the corner, Haley's clothing draped on everything, reminiscent of her hurry to leave on that day so long ago. A glint caught her eye-reaching down, she uncovered a sparkly gold necklace, bearing her own name. The same one she'd dropped on the floor, the one she'd gotten from Lucas, the one that had replaced Nathan's and had in turn been replaced by Nathan's.

For the first time since she'd seen Nathan again, tears leaked from her eyes. Tears of memories.

She gently pushed her sister's door open, Peyton at her heels. It was mid-afternoon but Taylor was lying on her bed, sleeping deeply. Her hair was spread wildly over her pillow, her beautiful face at peace. Haley picked her way through the jumble of things on her floor and sat down on the edge of her bed.

"Tay?" she said gently, shaking her sister. Taylor slowly arose, but didn't immediately notice the peculiarity of the situation. With Peyton at the door, Taylor, in her dreamlike state, registered the time as four years previously, before everything had gone so awry. She half expected the baby call of Nati to shatter the air.

"Haley-bub?" she said eventually, her voice creaking. Haley smiled and threw her arms around her elder sister. Despite their differences,

Haley had missed her. Taylor was still unaccustomed, unable to accept that her baby sister was truly back. Shakily she put her arms around her and held her tightly. For the first time in years, Taylor Lydia James was speechless, tears marring her cheeks.

"Mommy?" called Nati in confusion. On her short, sturdy legs, she ran into Taylor's bedroom and leapt onto her bed.

"Nati?" said Taylor through her tears, staring at the small toddler with her blonde curls and bright blue eyes. So much bigger than the baby who had left her.

"I'm so sorry," whispered Haley.

"You had to mess up eventually, little sister," said Taylor, as Haley buried her head in her shoulder.

* * *

In the end, their wedding was not a large affair. Haley wore a sundress instead of Vera Wang, Nathan wore jeans instead of Armani. Only Taylor, Peyton, Nati, Damian and Lucas witnessed their union.

The three of them moved into the luxurious apartment Nathan had bought, furnished a room for Natalya, lent Natalya to Peyton and Lucas, and christened every room.

Nathan was true to his word. Ten months after the wedding, Stephen Lucas Scott was born. Three months later, Lucas and Peyton married.

Lucas and Peyton had their first child, James Lawrence Scott, within months of the birth of Nathan and Haley's third, Zachary Nathan.

Somehow in the midst of this, Nati and Damian became friends, united in their scorn of the younger interrupting newcomers.

Their anger was furthered in the birth of Haley and Nathan' final child, another girl, Taylor Peyton Scott, who was destined to be the spoiled darling of the entire extended family.

* * *

"You know it's been eight years since we got married?" asked Nathan of his wife, coming behind her and placing a kiss on her neck. She giggled and turned around to face him.

"Yep. Eight years, four kids," she responded. Sitting down, he pulled her onto his lap and he leaned against his chest.

"No, ten years, eight of marriage, four kids," he reminded her.

"Of course. God, remember how awful everyone was when we got married and they found out about Nati?" asked Haley, shuddering. Nathan laughed.

"It was intense. But after Damian was born it wasn't so bad," he remarked.

They both stood as their youngest, Taylor, came running and threw herself at her father. Taylor, at four, already knew how to pull his heartstrings. Haley rolled her eyes and greeted ten-year old Nati as she entered.

"Dad, let's go play basketball!" said Stephen enthusiastically, his younger brother Zac in tow.

"Kind of busy right now…" began Nathan, as he held Taylor.

"What, can't keep up with them, old man?" taunted Haley. She shrieked as Nathan set Taylor back down and lunged at her. She ran from the room and he followed her at a run as their children laughed and began to talk amongst themselves.

Nathan ran after Haley and caught up to her. Throwing her over his shoulder, they arrived in the bedroom.

"What were you saying about old?" asked Nathan, as he landed on top of her. Haley laughed, and ran her fingers through his dark hair, graying only at the temples.

"Not a word," she responded. Leaning down, he kissed her mouth and her eyes slid closed.

An hour later, Peyton and Lucas showed up with their boys, Jamie and Damian, who both immediately joined Stephen and Zac in front of a video game. Nati, though she usually despaired of her young, spoiled sister, joined her with her dolls.

The four adults met in the kitchen.

"God, I never thought I'd turn into such a… soccer mom," mused Peyton. The three of them laughed as Nathan handed Lucas a beer out of the fridge.

"You're not a soccer mom, you're a basketball mom," pointed out Haley. Peyton nodded and smiled.

"You, however, are a soccer and basketball mom, though your husband takes your kids to basketball so I have no idea where that leaves you," remarked Peyton. Lucas laughed and slung an arm around his wife.

"Taylor looks exactly like big Taylor," commented Lucas.

"Yeah. Charming as hell, too," said Nathan. He winced when his wife slapped his arm. "What?"

"You don't comment positively on other women," said Haley staunchly. Nathan rolled his eyes and his arms around her from behind.

"I never will again. By the way guys, tonight is the night Brooke died, eleven years ago," said Nathan. Suddenly the mood was solemn. She'd touched all their lives in different ways, and all of them had betrayed her.

Haley was the first to raise her glass. "To Brooke."

"To Brooke," they agreed, all in one voice. They clinked their cans and glasses together.

They were silent then, the sounds of the city far below them mixing in with the anxiety of the moment. They all felt as though Brooke, so long just a memory, had inserted herself into their circle.

It was Nathan who finally spoke.

"Who knew we'd have to break so many alliances, lose so much trust to get what we wanted?" he wondered.

"I didn't. But I'm glad we did. Because now," she said, pausing and looking into her husband's deep blue eyes. "I have everything I'll ever want."

THE END

_Author's note: The only characters I lay claim to are Nati, Taylor Scott, Zac and Stephen Scott, Damian and Jamie Scott. The rest are property of the WB._

_Thank you, all my loyal reviewers and everyone who read any part of this story. Thank you in particular to Ange, for the spoilers, for the suggestions, and to Davis, for the four thousand daily emails. And to Kendra, for her bus suggestion._

_I have about three weeks before I go to camp. In those three weeks I intend to begin the fic alluded to in the beginning of this chapter, and a Dan and Karen fic which will be significantly darker than anything I've ever written. _

_Once again, thanks for reading. _

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